City of New Orleans

City of New Orleans

City of New Orleans és una cançó que va ser escrita per Steve Goodman.

 Descriu un viatge en tren des de Chicago a Nova Orleans de forma agredolça i nostàlgica. 

Goodman va tenir la idea mentre viatjava en el tren del mateix nom en una visita a la casa de la família de la seva esposa. Arlo Guthrie va afegir la cançó al seu repertori. I va resultar  ser un éxit l'any 1972.

City of New Orleans també ha estat interpretada per Willie Nelson, John Denver, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, The Seldom Scene i Gimme Gimmes, entre d'altres.


Steve Goodman va guanyar l'any 1984, amb la cançó City of New Orleans, el Grammy Award a la Millor cançó country en la versió de Willie Nelson

Lyrics City of New Orleans

Riding on the 'City of New Orleans'
Illinois Central Monday Morning Rail
Less fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Three conductors and twenty five sacks of mails
They're out on the south-bound odissey and the train pulls out of Kankoke
Rolling past houses, farms and fields
Passing towns that have no names and freightyards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles


Singing Good Morning A-merica. How are you?
Saying don't you know me, I'm your native son?
I'm the train they call 'City of New Orleans'.
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the days is done


I was dealing cards with the old man in the club car
Plenty of points there ain't no one keeping score
Say won't you pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
And feel the wheels rumbling through the floor
And the sons of foregone porters and the sons of engineers
Ride their father's magic carpet made of steel
And the days were full of restless and their dreams were full of memories
And the echos of the freight train whistles clear


Singing Good Morning A-merica. How are you?
Saying don't you know me, I'm your native son?
Yes I'm the train they call 'City of New Orleans'.
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the days is done


But it's twilight on the city of New Orleans
Talk about a pocket full of friends
Halfway home, we'll be there by morning
With no tomorrow waiting 'round of then
Singing goodbye A-merica. I love you
Saying don't you know me, I'm your native son?
I'm the train they call 'City of New Orleans'.
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the days is done
Singing Good Morning A-merica. How are you?
Saying don't you know me, I'm your native son?
Yes I'm the train they call the 'City of New Orleans'.
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the days is done

Arlo Guthrie

Arlo Guthrie - City of New Orleans

Hobo's Lullavy( remastered 2004)(2010) de Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Guthrie – The City of New Orleans - Original Version

In Times Lake These (2010) de Arlo Guthrie with the University Kentucky Symphony Orchestra
Arlo Guthrie with the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra – City of New Orleans

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson- City of New Orleans

Legend: The Best Of Willie Nelson (2008) de Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson – City Of New Orleans

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash - City Of New Orleans

Johnny Cash and His Woman (2010) de Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash 
Johnny Cash with June Carter Cash – The City Of New Orleans

Johnny Cash: The Legend Lives on (2012) de Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash – City of New Orleans

John Denver

John Denver - City Of New Orleans

An Evening With John Denver (1993) de John Denver 
John Denver – The City of New Orleans

Sunshine On My Shoulders: The Best Of John Denver (2009) de John Denver
John Denver – City Of New Orleans 

Seldom Scene

Live At The Cellar  Door (2005) de Seldom Scene
Seldom Scene – City Of New Orleans

Jimmy Buffett  el setembre de 2005, va interpretar la cançó en el beisbol Wrigley Field com  homenatge a les víctimes de l'huracà Katrina. 


L'octubre de 2006, el guitarrista John Frusciante dels Red Hot Chili Peppers va interpretar la cançó en el festival de música vudú a New Orleans.