Arlo Guthrie-City Of New Orleans lyrics

ridin` on the city of new orleans
illinois central, monday mornin` rail.
15 cars, and 15 restless riders,
3 conductors and 25 sacks of mail.

all along the southbound odyssey,
leaving out of kankakee, 
rollin` past houses farms, and fields,
passin` trains that have no name, 
train yards full of old black men,
and the graveyards of the rusted automobile.

(chorus)
good mornin, america how are ya?
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 500 miles when the day is done.

dealin` cards with the old man in the club car,
a penny a point, ain`t no keeping 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 fathers magic carpet made of steel.
mothers with their babes asleep,
rockin to the gentle beat,
and the rythym of the rails is all they feel.



(chorus)
good mornin, america how are ya?
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 500 miles when the day is done.

night time on the city of new orleans.
changin` cars in memphis tennessee.
half way home, we`ll be there by mornin`.
through the mississippi darkness,
rolling down to the sea.

the towns and the people seem 
to fade into a bad dream.
and the steel rails still ain`t heard the news.
the conductor sings his song again,
the passengers will please refrain,
this train has got the disappearing railroad blues.

(chorus)
good mornin, america how are ya?
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 500 miles when the day is done.

(chorus)
good mornin, america how are ya?
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 500 miles when the day is done.