Key: C
Introduction:
C G C
Riding on the City of New Orleans,
Am F C G
Illinois Central, Monday morning rail,
C G C
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders,
Am G C
Three conductors, twenty five sacks of mail.
Am
All along the southbound odyssey,
Em
The train pulls out of Kankakee,
G D
And rolls along the houses, farms and fields.
Am
Passing towns that have no name,
Em
And freight yards full of old black men,
G G7 C
And graveyards of the rusted automobiles.
F G C
Good morning America, how are you?
Am F C
Say don't you know me, I'm your native son.
G C G Am
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans,
Bb F G C
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
C G C
Dealing card with the old men in the club cars,
Am F C G
A penny a point, ain't no one keeping score.
C G C
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle,
Am G C
And feel the wheels rumbling 'neath the floor.
Am
And the sons of Pullman porters,
Em
And the sons of engineers,
G D
Ride their fathers' magic carpet made of steam.
Am
Mothers with their babes asleep,
Em
Rocking to the gentle beat,
G G7 C
And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream.
F G C
Good morning America, how are you?
Am F C
Say don't you know me, I'm your native son.
G C G Am
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans,
Bb F G C
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
C G C
Nighttime on the City of New Orleans,
Am F C G
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennesee.
C G C
Halfway home, we'll be there by morning,
Am G C
Through the Misissippi darkness, rolling down to the sea.
Am
But all the towns and people seem
Em
To fade into a bad dream,
G D
The steel rail still ain't heard the news.
Am
The conductor sings his songs again,
Em
The passengers will please refrain,
G G7 C
This train's got the disappearin' railroad blues.
F G C
Goodnight America, how are you?
Am F C
Say don't you know me, I'm your native son.
G C G Am
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans,
Bb F G C
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.