City of New Orleans by Steve Goodman
My cover of “City of New Orleans” by Steve Goodman, inspired by Willie Nelson’s cover of the song.
How to Play “City of New Orleans” by Steve Goodman
The Chords
EADGBE
xx0232 = D
x02220 = A
320003 = G
x2003x = G/B
x32010 = C
x24432 = Bm
244222 = F#m
022100 = E
4xx454 = E/G#
Chords and Lyrics
D A D
Riding on the City of New Orleans
Bm G D
Illinois central, Monday morning rail
D A D
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Bm G D
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail
Bm
All along the southbound odyssey
F#m
The train pulls out at Kankakee
A E
And rides along rivers, farms, and fields
Bm
Passing trains that have no names
F#m
The freight yards full of old black men
A D
And the graveyards of rusted automobiles
[Begin Chorus]
G A D
Good morning, America, how are ya?
Bm G D
Don’t you know me, I’m your native son
A D A Bm A E/G#
I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans
C G/B A D
And I’ll be gone five hundreds miles when the day is done
[End Chorus]
D A D
Playing cards with the old man in the club car
Bm G D
Penny a point, ain’t no one keeping score
D A D
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
Bm G D
Feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor
Bm
And the sons of pullman porters
F#m
And the sons of engineers
A E
Ride their fathers’ magic carpet made of steel
Bm
Mothers with their babes asleep
F#m
Are rocking to the gentle beat
A D
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel
[Chorus]
D A D
Night time on the City of New Orleans
Bm G D
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee
D A D
Halfway home, we’ll be there by morning
Bm G D
Through the Mississippi delta, rollin’ down to the sea
Bm
But all the towns and people seem
F#m
To fade into a bad dream
A E
And the steel rails still ain’t heard the news
Bm
The conductor sings his song again
F#m
The passengers will please refrain
A D
This train has got the disappearing railroad blues
[Chorus]