City of New Orleans – Song Lyric Sunday – City/State/Country
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For SLS today we have songs that feature ‘city/country/town/state/county’. Thanks, Jim!
To join in this fun weekly challenge, and to see other entries, just click the link below.
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https://jimadamsauthordotcom.wordpress.com/2021/05/29/it-takes-a-village/
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There are a lot of songs to choose from for this prompt. I always liked this one. It does mention some cities, and America, and even the train is named the City of New Orleans.
It has been recorded by several other artists, including the original songwriter’s, and even Willie Nelson did a cover.
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From a Wiki article:
“City of New Orleans” is a country folk song written by Steve Goodman (and first recorded for Goodman’s self-titled 1971 album), describing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad‘s City of New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms.
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More info on how this song came to be written can be found on ‘Song Facts’ – https://www.songfacts.com/facts/arlo-guthrie/city-of-new-orleans
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“City of New Orleans”, by Arlo Guthrie, was released in 1972 on his album, “Hobo’s Lullaby”. It was written by Steve Goodman, and is on the Reprise label.
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Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail
All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields
Passin’ trains that have no name
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles
Say, 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 five hundred miles when the day is done
Penny a point ain’t no one keepin’ score
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
Feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor
And the sons of pullman porters
And the sons of engineers
Ride their father’s magic carpets made of steel
Mothers with their babes asleep
Are rockin’ to the gentle beat
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel
Say, 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 five hundred miles when the day is done
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee
Half way home, we’ll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea
But 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 songs again
The passengers will please refrain
This train got the disappearing railroad blues
Say, 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 five hundred miles when the day is done
Love this one 🎶
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Thanks, Paula! I do, too. 🙂
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Great song and perfect choice for today!
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Thanks, Maggie! Glad you like this one! 🙂
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Steve Goodman and his wife Nancy rode the train on the Illinois Central Line called The City Of New Orleans and he jotted down notes on a sketch pad about the passing scenery and while playing cards in the club car. Great choice Barbara.
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Thanks, Jim! Isn’t that interesting. I’d read that on the Wiki article. Kind of sad too, if true, that this was the last trip that train would ever make before being discontinued. 🙂
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Perfect choice!
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Thanks, Jen! So glad you liked this one. 🙂
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I did! 😊
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🙂
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Wonderfull pick Barbara ☺️💕
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Thanks, Christine! It had been awhile since I’d heard it, so I enjoyed hearing it again, too. 🙂
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When Amtrak took over passenger rail, they tried to keep the names of the different trains (e.g. The City of New Orleans, Super Chief etc.) but I guess that all fell by the wayside. Those were the days…
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Thanks, John! I don’t know much about trains of any kind since we never had passenger ones here. I like that they used to have names for them, though. I think they should have kept them. 🙂
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This is a sing along song! Reminds me of my family.
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Thanks, Jill! It is fun to sing along with this one. Good to hear it again as it had been awhile. 🙂
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Back in 2012, my hubby and I did the garbage trail walk for Huntington’s disease and Arlo was there at the beginning to cheer us all on. XO
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Thanks, Ellen! That is a wonderful thing to do in support and awareness of this disease. I’m sure it was a boost to see him at the event. 🙂
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that is one of my favourite songs about america! ❤
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Thanks, Carol Anne! Glad you like hearing this one. I’ve always liked it too, and how it kind of tells a story. ❤
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