[edit] Career
Henson's career started in his home state of Oklahoma, performing at clubs around Oklahoma City and Tulsa. His family was active in politics and raised buffalo on a ranch outside Oklahoma City. In the mid 1960s, Henson moved to Nashville and became a member of the vocal group The Kimberlys. After leaving the group, Henson started on his solo career, and in 1967, he signed with Monument Records, and he immediately scored in a big way with a song called "Skip a Rope". The song became a huge hit, spending six weeks at Number 1 on the country charts in 1968 and also making the Top 25 on the Pop charts.
[edit] After Skip a Rope and Later Career
After "Skip a Rope", Cargill continued to have Top 20 hits with such songs as "Row Row Row" (1968), "None Of My Business" (his only other Top 10) (1969), and "The Most Uncomplicated Goodbye I Ever Heard" (1970). Later, he had a television show, Country Hayride, and performed for many years in Reno and Las Vegas. Johnny Cash was godfather to his oldest son, Cash.
After leaving Monument Records, Henson moved to Mega Records in 1971, where he scored several minor hits. In 1973, he made a strong comeback to the charts when he signed with Atlantic Records and scored 2 Top 30 hits in 1974 with "Some Old California Memory" and a version of Mac Davis' "Stop And Smell The Roses". In 1980, he formed his own record label Copper Mountain Records and he scored his last Top 30 hit that year with "Silence On The Line". In the late 1980s he retired to Oklahoma City and died on March 24, 2007
New Orleans
Henson Cargill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Three conductors twenty-four sacks of mail
All along the southbound odyssey the train rolls out of Kankakee
Rolls along past houses farms and fields
Passin' trains that have no names switchyards full of old black men
Of graveyards full of rusted automobiles
Said 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
Playin' card games with an old man on the club car
Many a point no one's keepin' score
Pass that paper bag that holds the bottle
Feel the wheels a rumblin' neath the floor
And the sons of poor men porters and the sons of engineers
Ride their father'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
Good morning America how are you...
Well it's night time on the City of New Orleans
Changin' cars in Memphis Tennessee
Half way home I'll be there by morning
Through the Mississippi darkness rollin' 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 songs again the passengers will please refrain
This train's got the disappearin' railroad blues
Good night America how are you...
The song "New Orleans" by Henson Cargill is a poignant and evocative portrayal of a train journey on the City of New Orleans, highlighting the experiences of its passengers and the changing landscapes along the way. The lyrics depict the Monday morning departure from Kankakee, Illinois, as the train carries fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders. Amidst the hustle and bustle, three conductors oversee the journey, ensuring the transportation of twenty-four sacks of mail.
As the train travels southwards, it passes by houses, farms, and fields. The mention of trains without names and switchyards filled with old black men symbolizes the forgotten stories and history of African Americans who contributed to the railway system. The reference to graveyards full of rusted automobiles offers a somber reminder of forgotten dreams and discarded remnants.
The second verse introduces the interactions between the passengers. One particular scene depicts the singer playing card games with an old man in the club car, where the absence of scorekeeping reflects a sense of detachment from the outside world. The presence of a paper bag holding a bottle alludes to the struggles and escapism people seek during their journey.
The song's chorus, with its recurring phrase "Good morning America how are you," establishes a sense of connection and shared experience among the passengers and their homeland. The train itself, referred to as the City of New Orleans, is portrayed as a symbolic entity, representing the journey and its impact on individuals' lives. The singer identifies as a native son, emphasizing their connection to both the train and the city it represents.
As the narrative progresses, the lyrics explore the diverse individuals on the train. The sons of poor men porters and sons of engineers inherit the legacy of their fathers, symbolized by the magic carpet made of steel. Mothers on the train rock their sleeping babies to the rhythm of the rails, suggesting a sense of familiarity and solace in the journey.
The final verse denotes the night time setting, as the train undergoes a change of cars in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite the darkness, the journey continues towards the destination, rolling through the Mississippi and towards the sea. The fading towns and people, presented as a bad dream, represent the transient nature of the train journey and the temporary connections made between passengers. The conductor, resuming his songs, urges the passengers to refrain from any disturbances, while the disappearing railroad blues evokes a sense of nostalgia and impending loss.
Overall, "New Orleans" by Henson Cargill beautifully captures the essence of a train journey, presenting a microcosm of American life and experiences. It explores themes of connection, transience, and the shared bonds formed during a momentary journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Ridin' on the City of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning rail
Traveling on the Illinois Central train called the City of New Orleans on a Monday morning
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
There are fifteen train cars and fifteen passengers who are anxious and unsettled
Three conductors twenty-four sacks of mail
There are three train conductors responsible for twenty-four bags of mail
All along the southbound odyssey the train rolls out of Kankakee
The train embarks on a journey from Kankakee, rolling smoothly along the southern route
Rolls along past houses farms and fields
The train continues its journey, passing by houses, farms, and fields
Passin' trains that have no names switchyards full of old black men
The train passes by anonymous trains and switchyards filled with elderly African American men
Of graveyards full of rusted automobiles
There are graveyards filled with decayed cars
Good morning America how are you
Greetings to America, asking about its well-being
Said don't you know me I'm your native son
Expressing the connection as a native son of America
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans
Identifying oneself as the train known as the City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
By the end of the day, the train will have traveled five hundred miles away
Playin' card games with an old man on the club car
Engaging in card games with an elderly man in the car designated for club activities
Many a point no one's keepin' score
People are playing without keeping track of the points
Pass that paper bag that holds the bottle
Handing around a paper bag containing an alcoholic bottle
Feel the wheels a rumblin' neath the floor
Sensing the vibration of the train wheels beneath the floor
And the sons of poor men porters and the sons of engineers
Referring to the sons of men from low-income families, including railroad porters and engineers
Ride their father's magic carpet made of steel
They ride the train, considering it their fathers' magical steel carpet
Mothers with their babes asleep rockin' to that gentle beat
Mothers with their sleeping babies gently sway to the rhythm of the train
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel
They solely feel the rhythmic movements of the train on the rails
Good morning America how are you...
Greetings to America, asking about its well-being
Well it's night time on the City of New Orleans
Now it's nighttime on the City of New Orleans train
Changin' cars in Memphis Tennessee
Switching train cars at the Memphis Tennessee station
Half way home I'll be there by morning
Already halfway, the destination will be reached by the morning
Through the Mississippi darkness rollin' down to the sea
Traveling through the dark Mississippi region towards the sea
And all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream
As the journey progresses, the towns and people become distant and surreal, resembling a bad dream
And the steel rails still ain't heard the news
The train tracks remain unaware of the latest news
The conductor sings his songs again the passengers will please refrain
The conductor resumes singing his songs, requesting passengers to refrain from any disruptions
This train's got the disappearin' railroad blues
The train itself experiences the melancholy feeling of the fading railroad era
Good night America how are you...
Goodnight America, asking about its well-being
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Steve Goodman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ron Taylor
on So Many Ways of Saying She's Gone
first time ive heard all these songs-wonderful