New Orleans
washington d.c. Lyrics

Ridin' on The City of New Orleans
Boarding The City of New Orleans train

Illinois Central Monday morning rail
The train runs on the Illinois Central rail in the morning of each Monday

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
There are fifteen cars and fifteen passengers, all anxious to get to their destinations

Two conductors and a-twenty-five sacks a' mail
Two conductors are on board, along with twenty-five sacks of mail

All along the southbound odyssey
The journey southbound is a long and adventurous one

The train pulls out at Kankakee
The train departs at Kankakee station

And moves on along past houses, farms and fields
The train makes its way through various areas, including residential, farming, and rural regions

Passin' trains what ain't got no names
The train passes by other trains that are not identified by names

Switch yards full a' old black men
The switch yards are full of old black men, possibly watching or working on the trains

And the graveyards full of them rusted automobiles
Surrounding the switch yards, there are graveyards of rusted vehicles

Good mornin' America, how are ya?
Addressing the United States with good morning wishes

Well, a don'tcha know me? I'm your native son
The singer is a native of the United States, proud to ride the train and represent his country

I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
The singer is riding The City of New Orleans train

And I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done
The journey is five hundred miles long and will end when the day is over

A-dealin' cards with an old man down in the club car
Playing cards with an elderly man in the club car

Just a penny a point ain't a-nobody keepin' score
The game is casual and relaxed, and no one is keeping score

Say won't you pass that there paper bag that's a-wrappin' the bottle
Asking for the paper bag that is wrapped around a bottle

Feel them wheels rumblin' under that floor
Feeling the wheels of the train as they rumble beneath the floor

And the sons of Pullman porters
Referring to the children of Pullman porters who work on the train

And the sons of engineers
Referring to the children of train engineers who operate the train

Ride their daddy's magical carpet made out of steel
Describing the train as a magical carpet made of steel that the children ride on with their fathers

Mamas with their babies asleepin'
Mothers with their babies are asleep

Are rockin' to the gentle beat
The motion of the train is comforting and lulls the babies to sleep

And the rhythm of the rockin' rails is all they feel
The passengers are only aware of the rhythmic movement of the train

Night-time on The City of New Orleans
It is now nighttime on The City of New Orleans train

A-changin' cars a-down in Memphis, Tennessee
The train is changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee

Well, a half way home, and a we gonna be there by mornin'
The train is halfway to its destination and will arrive in the morning

Through the Mississippi darkness
The train passes through the Mississippi area in the dark of night

Rollin' down to that sea
Continuing down to the sea

Now all a' them towns and all the people seem
All the towns and people along the way appear

To fade away into a bad ol' dream
The places and people start to disappear, as if in a dream

But the steel rail, well he still ain't heard that news
The train continues despite the fading scenery

Conductor's a-singin' that song again
The conductor sings a song again

Sayin' "Passengers will please refrain
The conductor kindly asks the passengers not to

This train done got the disappearin' railroad blues"
Despite the fading scenery and disappearing places, the train continues and reaches its destination nonetheless.

Good night America, how are ya?
Wishing the USA good night

Mamas with their babies asleepin'
Mothers and babies are asleep

Are rockin' to the gentle beat
The train is still gently rocking them to sleep

And the rhythm of the rockin' rails is all they feel
All they can feel is the rhythmic motion of the train