Goodnight America, how are ya?

Question

Say don't you know me? I'm your native son. I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans.....

I love this song. A movie plays in my mind everytime I hear it. Is this train still around? Are there plans to revive it, if not? Wouldn't it be a cool experience....the story, the history?

Answer 1

I believe it still makes daily runs from Chicago to New Orleans ( at least it did a couple years ago when my wife rode it) YES, I love that song also.

Answer 2

Steve Goodman wrote it; Arlo Guthrie made it famous. (I used to live in the Kankakee that the song mentions)

The City of New Orleans
by Steve Goodman

Riding on the City of New Orleans,
Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders,
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 names,
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles.

CHORUS:
Good morning 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 five hundred miles when the day is done.

Dealin' card games with the old men in the club car.
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.

CHORUS

Nighttime on The City of New Orleans,
Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee.
Half way home, we'll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness
Rolling down to the sea.
And all the towns and people seem
To fade into a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news.
The conductor sings his song again,
The passengers will please refrain
This train's got the disappearing railroad blues.

Good night, 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 five hundred miles when the day is done.

©1970, 1971 EMI U Catalogue, Inc and Turnpike Tom Music (ASCAP

Answer 3

I believe that Arlo and his family just took the trip on the City of New Orleans as an anniversary documentary of the song. They did concerts along the route at the different stops.

I didn't realize that Steve Goodman wrote the song. His favorite song of mine is "The perfect country song" "You don't have to call me darling, darling"

Answer 4

The train still runs out of New Orleans.

Answer 5

Arlo Guthrie sang it beautifully, but the song was written by his friend Steve Goodman, a native son the same town as me, Chicago, Illinois. RIP Steve, we miss you.

Answer 6

Don't know if the train is still around or if there are any plans to revive it, but there are plenty of train buffs around, and maybe one of them knows about it or can tell you more. Good luck!

Answer 7

yes, that is a good song. i have a couple arlo guthrie cd's that i listen to. i'm not sure about the train though, it would be cool to ride it, i think. i know it used to run a couple hours west of where i live, the part through illinois anyway.

Answer 8

the story and the history is real. the song by Orlo Guthrie is a master piece of recorded magic. the movie is " Alice's Restaurant." a master piece of social comment.

Answer 9

I'll be goin' 500 miles when the day is done. Have you read Arlo's dad's biography. Woody was one cool guy!

Answer 10

Not sure what your wanting to know. But, Goodnight and I'm just dandy. Thank you