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Arlo Guthrie
About City of New Orleans
"City of New Orleans" is a country folk song written by Steve Goodman (and first recorded for Goodman's self-titled 1971 album), describing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad's City of New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms. Goodman got the idea while traveling on the Illinois Central line for a visit to his wife's family. The song has been recorded by numerous artists both in the US and Europe, including two major hit versions: first by Arlo Guthrie in 1972, and later by Willie Nelson in 1984. An article in the September 2017 issue of Trains magazine chronicles the writing and recording of the song and includes a biographical sketch of Steve Goodman. more »
- Year:
- 1999
- 4:31
- 11,233Views
- Playlists:
- #10
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Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
Riding on the City of New OrleansIllinois Central Monday morning railFifteen cars and fifteen restless ridersThree conductors and twenty-five sacks of mailAll along the southbound odysseyThe train pulls out at KankakeeRolls along past houses, farms and fieldsPassin' trains that have no namesFreight yards full of old black menAnd the graveyards of the rusted automobilesGood morning America how are you?Don't you know me I'm your native sonI'm the train they call The City of New OrleansI'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is doneDealin' cards with the old men in the club carPenny a point ain't no one keepin' scoreWon't you pass the paper bag that holds the bottleFeel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floorAnd the sons of Pullman portersAnd the sons of engineersRide their father's magic carpets made of steamMothers with their babes asleepAre rockin' to the gentle beatAnd the rhythm of the rails is all they dreamGood morning America how are you?Don't you know me I'm your native sonI'm the train they call The City of New OrleansI'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is doneNighttime on The City of New OrleansChanging cars in Memphis, TennesseeHalf way home, we'll be there by morningThrough the Mississippi darknessRolling down to the seaAnd all the towns and people seemTo fade into a bad dreamAnd the steel rails still ain't heard the newsThe conductor sings his song againThe passengers will please refrainThis train's got the disappearing railroad bluesGood night, America, how are you?Don't you know me I'm your native sonI'm the train they call The City of New OrleansI'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer
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Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk singer. Like his late father, Woody Guthrie, Arlo is known for singing songs of protest against social injustice. One of Guthrie's better-known works is "Alice's Restaurant Massacree", a satirical talking blues song about 18 minutes in length. more »
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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. |
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. |
Chart PerformanceGuthrie's rendition of "City of New Orleans" peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. |
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. |
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. |
Grammy AwardsSteve Goodman won a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1985 for Willie Nelson's version of "City of New Orleans". |
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. |
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. |
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. |
Song WritingThe song is renowned for its vivid imagery and catchy melody, which have helped it endure in popular culture for several decades. |
Emotional ConnectionMany listeners have a deep emotional connection to the song because it reminds them of the romantic era of cross-country train travel. |
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. |
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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