City of New Orleans
The Highwaymen Lyrics

Riding on the city of New Orleans
Traveling on a train called the City of New Orleans.

Illinois Central, Monday morning rail
The train is part of the Illinois Central Railroad and it's Monday morning.

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
There are 15 train cars and 15 people on the train who are anxious or unable to sit still.

Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail
There are three employees responsible for operating the train and 25 bags of mail on board.

All along the southbound odyssey
Throughout the journey heading south.

The train pulled out at Kankakee
The train began moving at Kankakee station.

And rolls along past houses, farms and fields
The train is passing various scenery such as homes, farms, and fields.

Passin' trains that have no names
Other trains are passing by but it's unknown what they're called.

And freight yards full of old black men
There are many elderly black men in the nearby freight yards.

And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles
There are scrap yards or junkyards with many old, rusty cars.

Good morning, America
A greeting to the nation of America.

How are you?
A question asking how the nation is doing.

Say don't you know me? I'm your native son
The singer is asking if they're recognized as an American since they were born in the country.

I'm the train they call the city of New Orleans
The singer is the singer of the song and is referring to the train they're on called the City of New Orleans.

And I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
By the end of the day, the train will have traveled 500 miles.

Dealin' card games with the old men in the club car
The passengers are playing card games with older gentlemen in the club car.

Penny a point ain't no one keepin' score
They're playing for small stakes and aren't keeping a proper scorecard.

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle
The passengers are sharing a bottle of alcohol in a paper bag.

Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor
The passengers can feel the vibrations from the train's wheels beneath their feet.

And the sons of Pullman Porters
The children of the employees who work for the Pullman Palace Car Company are on board.

And the sons of engineers
The children of train engineers are also present on the train.

Ride their father's magic carpet made of steel
The train is like a magic carpet to these children since their fathers operate it and make it work.

Mothers with their babes asleep
Mothers on board have young children who are sleeping.

Are rockin' to the gentle beat
The motion of the train is rocking the mothers and their babies to sleep.

And the rhythm of the rail is all they feel
The only sensation these people notice is the rhythm of the train's movement.

Nighttime on the city of New Orleans
It's now nighttime while still riding on the train called the City of New Orleans.

Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee
The train will switch cars in Memphis, Tennessee.

Half way home, we'll be there by morning
They are halfway to their final destination and will arrive in the morning.

Through the Mississippi darkness
The train passes through a dark Mississippi region.

Rolling down to the sea
The train is heading toward the ocean.

But all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream
The train's passengers are passing through towns with people that are no longer distinguishable and seem to blend together like a bad dream.

And the steel rails still ain't heard the news
The train tracks don't know what's going on beyond them.

The conductor sings his songs again
The conductor has a habit of singing and does it once more.

The passengers will please refrain
The passengers are being asked not to participate or interfere with the conductor's singing.

This train has got the disappearing railroad blues
The train is experiencing a feeling of disappearing or ceasing to exist, in the old railway systems.