City of New Orleans
Willie Nelson
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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 All along the southbound odyssey The train pulled out at Kankakee And rolls along past houses, farms and fields Passin' trains that have no names And freight yards full of old black men And the graveyards 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 And I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done Dealin' card games with the old men in the club car Penny a point ain't no one keepin' score Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor And the sons of Pullman Porters And the sons of engineers Ride their father's magic carpet made of steel Mothers with their babes asleep Are 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 Nighttime 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 But 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
The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com
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. 20 Sep. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/33312203/Willie+Nelson/City+of+New+Orleans>.
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