City of New Orleans

<br>(Steve Goodman)<br><br>Ridin` on The City of New Orleans<br>Illinois Central Monday morning rail<br>Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders<br>Two conductors and a-twenty-five sacks a` mail<br>All along the southbound odyssey<br>The train pulls out at Kankakee<br>And moves on along past houses, farms and fields<br>Passin` trains what ain`t got no names<br>Switch yards full a` old black men<br>And the graveyards full of them rusted automobiles <br><br>[Chorus]<br>Good mornin` America, how are ya?<br>Well, a don`tcha know me? I`m your native son<br>I`m the train they call The City of New Orleans<br>And I`ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done <br><br>A-dealin` cards with an old man down in the club car<br>Just a penny a point ain`t a-nobody keepin` score<br>Say won`t you pass that there paper bag that`s a-wrappin` the bottle<br>Feel them wheels rumblin` under that floor<br>And the sons of Pullman porters<br>And the sons of engineers<br>Ride their daddy`s magical carpet made out of steel<br>Mamas with their babies asleepin`<br>Are rockin` to the gentle beat<br>And the rhythm of the rockin` rails is all they feel <br><br>[Chorus]<br>Good mornin` America, how are ya?<br>Well, a don`tcha know me? I`m your native son<br>I`m the train they call The City of New Orleans<br>And I`ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done <br><br>Night-time on The City of New Orleans<br>A-changin` cars a-down in Memphis, Tennessee<br>Well, a half way home, and a we gonna be there by mornin`<br>Through the Mississippi darkness<br>Rollin` down to that sea<br>Now all a` them towns and all the people seem<br>To fade away into a bad ol` dream<br>But the steel rail, well he still ain`t heard that news<br>Conductor`s a-singin` that song again<br>Sayin` &quot;Passengers will please refrain<br>&quot;This train done got the disappearin` railroad blues&quot; <br><br>[Chorus]<br>Good night America, how are ya?<br>Well, a don`tcha know me? I`m your native son<br>I`m the train they call The City of New Orleans<br>And I`ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done <br><br>[Fade out.]<br>Mamas with their babies asleepin`<br>Are rockin` to the gentle beat<br>And the rhythm of the rockin` rails is all they feel <br><br>Mamas with their babies asleepin`<br>Are rockin` to the gentle beat<br>And the rhythm of the rockin` rails is all they feel <br><br>Yeah.