The City of New Orleans

Riding on the city of New Orleans
Illinois Central, Monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Three conductors and twentyfour sacks of mail

All along the southbound odyssey
The train rolls out of Kankakee
And rolls along past houses, farms and fields
Passin' trains that have no name
And switch yards full of old black men
And the graveyards full of the rusted automobiles

Good morning, America
How are you?
Say 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

Dealin' card with an old man in the club car
Penny a point nobody's keepin' score
Hey now!
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
And feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor

And the sons of Pullman Porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their daddy's magic carpet made of steel
Mothers with their babes asleep
Rockin' to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rail is all they feel

Good morning, America
How are you?
Say 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, we'll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea

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 morning, America
How are you?
Say 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
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done