Johnny Cash City Of New Orleans Lyrics

Ridin' on the City of New Orleans
Illinois Central, Monday mornin' rail
15 cars & 15 restless riders
Three conductors and 24 sacks of mail

All along the southbound odyssey the train rolls out of Kankakee
And moves along past houses, farms and fields
Passin' trains that have no names and switch yards full of old black men
And the graveyards full of rusted automobiles

Chorus:
Good mornin' America, how are you?
Don't you know me? I'm your native son!
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans
I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done

Dealin' cards with an old man in the club car
Penny a point, nobody's keepin' score
Hey now pass that paper bag that holds the bottle
And feel the wheels a rumblin' neath the floor

And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers
Ride their Daddy's magic carpet made of steel
Mothers with their babes asleep, rockin' to that gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel

Repeat Chorus

Night time on the City of New Orleans
Changin' cars in Memphis, Tennessee
Halfway home and we'll be there by mornin'
Thru the Mississippi darkness rollin' down to the sea

And all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream
And the steel rail still ain't heard the news
The conductor sings his song again
"The passengers will please refrain:
This train's got the disappearin' railroad blues

Repeat Chorus