Rev. 1
January 2015
Page 1 of 2
City Of New Orleans
Steve Goodman - 1971 , Arlo Guthrie - 1972
INTRO: d d u u d C(4) Csus(4) C(4) Csus(4) Repeat until counted in by leader CHORDS
Verse 1 Am 2000
C(4) G7(4) C(8) Am(4) F(4) C(8)
Riding on The City of New Orleans, Illinois Central Monday morning rail C 0003
C(4) G7(4) C(8) Am(4) G7(4) C(8) Csus 0013
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders, 3 conductors 25 sacks of mail
Am(8) Em(8) Em 0432
All along the Southbound Odyssey, The train pulls out of Kankakee
G7(8) D7(8) F 2010
And rolls along the houses farms and fields
Am(8) Em(8) G7 0212
Passing towns that have no name, And the freight yards full of old black men
G7(8) C(4) C7(4)
And the graveyard of rusted automobiles
Chorus:
F(4) G7(4) C(8)
Good morning America how are you
Am(4) F(4) C(4) G7(4)
Say don't you know me I'm your native son
C(4) G7(4) Am(4) D7(4)
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
Bb(4) G7(4) C(8)
I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
Verse 2
C(4) G7(4) C(8) Am(4) F(4) C(8)
Dealin' cards with old men in the club car, penny a point ain't no one keeping score
C(4) G7(4) C(8) Am(4) G7(4) C(8)
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle, feel the wheels grumblin neath the floor
Am(8) Em(8)
All the sons of Pullman porters, And the sons of engineers
G7(8) D7(8)
Ride the father's magic carpet made of steel
Am(8) Em(8)
Mothers with their babies asleep, A rockin to the gentle beat
G7(8) C(4) C7(4)
And the rhythm of the rail is all that they feel
Rev. 1
January 2015
Page 2 of 2
Chorus:
F(4) G7(4) C(8)
Good morning America how are you
Am(4) F(4) C(4) G7(4)
Say don't you know me I'm your native son
C(4) G7(4) Am(4) D7(4)
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
Bb(4) G7(4) C(8)
I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
Verse 3
C(4) G7(4) C(8) Am(4) F(4) C(8)
Nightime on The City of New Orleans, changing cars in Memphis Tennessee
C(4) G7(4) C(8)
Halfway home and we'll be there by mornin'
Am(4) G7(4) C(8)
Through the Mississippi darkness rollin down to the sea
Am(8) Em(8)
And all the towns and people seem, to fade into a bad dream
G7(8) D7(8)
And the steel rail still ain't heard the news
Am(8) Em(8)
conductor sings his song again, the passengers will please refrain
G7(8) C(4) C7(4)
This trains got th' disappearing railroad blues
Chorus:
F(4) G7(4) C(8)
Good morning America how are you
Am(4) F(4) C(4) G7(4)
Say don't you know me I'm your native son
C(4) G7(4) Am(4) D7(4)
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
Bb(4) G7(4) C(4) Csus(4)
I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done
C(4) Csus(4) ……repeat until directed by leader to end on C
