Hank Snow - City of New Orleans Lyrics

Ridin' on the City of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning rail

15 cars and 15 restless riders 3 conductors and 24 sacks of mail

All along the southbound odyssey the train rolls out of Kankakee

And moves along past houses farms and fields

Passin' trains that have no name and switchyards full of old black men

Of graveyards full of rusted automobiles

Good mornin' America how are you say don't ya know me I'm your native son

I'm a train they call the City of New Orleans

I'll be gone 500 miles when the day is done

Dealin' cards with an old man on the club car many a point nobody's keepin' score

Hey now pass that paper bag that holds the bottle

And feel the wheels a rumblin' neath the floor

And the sons of poor men porters and the sons of engineers

Ride their daddy's magic carpet made of steel

Mothers with their babies asleep rockin' to that gentle beat

And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel

Night time on the City of New Orleans changin' cars in Memphis Tennessee

Half way home and we'll be there by mornin'

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 song again the passengers will please refrain

This train's got the disappearin' railroad blues