City of New Orleans
Steve Goodman
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Riding on the city of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning rail There are fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail There all out on this southbound odyssey And the train pulls out of Kankakee Rolls past the houses, farms and fields Passin' towns that have no names And freight yards full of old black men And the graveyards of rusted automobiles Singin' "good morning America, how are ya?" Saying "don't ya know me? I'm your native son" Yes, I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans And I'll be gone 500 miles when day is done And I was dealing cards with the old men in the club car And it's penny a point, there ain't no one keeping score Won't ya past that paper bag that holds that bottle You can feel the wheels grumbling through the floor And the sons of Pullman porters; the sons of engineers They ride their father's magic carpet made of steel And mothers with the babes asleep Go rockin' to the gentle beat And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream Just a-singin' "good morning America, how are ya?" Sayin' "don't ya know me? I'm your native son" And I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans I'll be gone 500 miles when day is done Nighttime on the City of New Orleans Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee It's halfway home and we'll be there by morning Through the Mississippi darkness rolling to the sea And all the towns and people They seem to fade into a bad dream The old steel rails, it ain't heard the news The conductor sings that song again Its passengers will please refrain This train's got the disappearing railroad blues Just a-singin' "good night America, how are ya?" Sayin' "don't ya know me? I'm your native son" And I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done Just a-singin' "good night America, how are ya?" Sayin' "don't ya know me? I'm your native son" And I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans And I'll be gone a long, long time when the day is done
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Written by: Steve Goodman
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Origin and Composition"City of New Orleans" is a folk song written by Steve Goodman, detailing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad's City of New Orleans line.
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Arlo Guthrie's CoverArlo Guthrie, the son of folk music icon Woodie Guthrie, is most famous for performing this song. He recorded his cover in 1972, which helped the track become well-known nationwide.
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Chart PerformanceGuthrie's rendition of "City of New Orleans" peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
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Steve Goodman's PerformanceSteve Goodman also recorded the song for his self-titled 1971 album. His rendition didn't garner much recognition at the time until Guthrie's rendition started climbing the charts.
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Song InspirationSteve Goodman got the inspiration for the song from a train ride he took with his wife to visit her grandmother. The couple boarded the Illinois Central line in 1970, which inspired Goodman to write about the people they met and the scenes they saw along the way.
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Grammy AwardsSteve Goodman won a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1985 for Willie Nelson's version of "City of New Orleans".
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Willie Nelson's CoverWillie Nelson covered the song for his 1984 album "City of New Orleans". Nelson's rendition reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and also made it to number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Charitable PurposeGoodman's widow, Nancy, has used the song's copyright royalties to fund the Steve Goodman Leukemia Research Foundation, providing a charitable legacy long after his 1984 death from leukemia.
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Cultural InfluenceThe song has been hailed for its rich depiction of American railroad travel. It has been covered dozens of times in a variety of languages, further proving its cultural significance.
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Song WritingThe song is renowned for its vivid imagery and catchy melody, which have helped it endure in popular culture for several decades.
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Emotional ConnectionMany listeners have a deep emotional connection to the song because it reminds them of the romantic era of cross-country train travel.
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President's FondnessThe song was reportedly one of the favorites of former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, who became friends with Goodman during his presidency.
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Other Famous CoversBesides Arlo Guthrie and Willie Nelson, other artists including Johnny Cash, John Denver, and Judy Collins have also covered "City of New Orleans". The collective performances of the song by varied artists across different genres can be credited for its enduring popularity.
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Citation
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"City of New Orleans Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 16 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2839807/Steve+Goodman/City+of+New+Orleans>.
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