G D G Riding on the City of New Orleans, Em C G - D Illinois Central, Monday morning rail. G D G Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders, Em D G three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail. Em All on a southbound odyssey, Bm the train pulls out of Kentucky, D A rolls past horses, farms and fields. Em Passing trains that have no name Bm and freight yards full of old black men, D D7 G and the graveyards of rusted automobiles. Singing... C D G Good morning, America, how are you? Em C G - D Hey, don`t you know me, I`m your native son. G D Em I`m the train they call the City of New Orleans, F C D7 G and I´ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done. G D G 2. Dealing cards to the old men in the club car, Em C G - D penny a point, and no one`s keeping score. G D G Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle, Em D G you can feel the wheels grumbling `neath the floor. Em Bm The sons of Pullman porters, and the sons of engineers D A ride their father`s magic carpet made of steel. Em And mothers with their babes asleep, Bm are rocking to the gentle beat, D D7 G the rhythm of rails is all they feel. + Chorus G D G 3. Nighttime on the City of New Orleans, Em C G - D changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee. G D G Halfway home, and we`ll be there by morning, Em D G through the Mississippi darkness rollin` to sea. Em But all the towns and people Bm seem to fade into a bad dream, D A the steel rail hasn`t heard the news. Em The conductor sings his song again, Bm it`s “Passengers will please refrain!“ D7 G This train`s got the Disappearing Railway Blues. Singing.....