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