Ridin' on the City of New Orleans
The City of New Orleans

Original Lyrics by Steve Goodman

Good morning, America, how are you
Don't you know me, I'm your native son,
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
Riding on The City of New Orleans,
Illinois Central Monday morning rail,
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders,
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail.
Dealin' cards with the old men in the club car,
Penny a point, ain't no one keepin score,
Won't you pass the paper bag that holds the bottle,
Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor.
Good morning, America, how are you?
Don't you know me, I'm your native son,
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
Night time on The City of New Orleans
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee,
Half way home, and we'll e there by mornin'
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea.
Good morning, America, how are you?
Don't you know me, I'm your native son,
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
And all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news
The conductor sings his songs again
The passengers will please refrain
This train has got the disappearing railroad blues.
Good night, America, how are you?
Don't you know me, I'm your native son.
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
Music:  The City of New Orleans

Nancy's Journal

Whispers - Home

Old New Orleans
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields
Passin' towns that have no names
Fright yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles.
And the sons of pullman porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their father's magic carpet made of steam
Mothers with their babes asleep
Are rockini' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream.