City of New Orleans (video) (midi)

C ~ ~

C G C

1. Ridin' on the City of New Orleans,

Am - F C

Illinois Central, Monday mornin' rail,

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fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders

Am F G C

three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail.

Am

All along the south bound odyssey,

Em

the train pulls out at Kankakee,

G D

rolls along past houses, farms, and fields.

Am

Passing trains that have no name,

Em

and freight yards full of old black men

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and the graveyards of the rusted automobiles.

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Good mornin' America how are you !

Am F C

Say, don't you know me ? I'm your native son !

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I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans,

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and I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.

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2. Dealin’ cards to the old men in the club car,

Am F C

penny a point ain't no one keepin' score.

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Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle,

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and feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor.

Am Em

And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers

G D

ride their fathers’ magic carpets made of steel,

Am Em

mothers with their babes asleep are rockin' to the gentle beat,

G G7 C

and the rythm of the wheels is all they feel

+ CHORUS + instrumental = CHORUS

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3. Night time on The City of New Orleans,

Am F C

changin' cars in Memphis Tennessee,

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halfway home, we'll be there be mornin',

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through the Mississippi darkness rollin' down to the sea.

Am Em

But all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream,

G D

the steel rail still ain't heard the news.

Am Em

The conductor sings his song again : “Passengers will please refrain!”

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This train has got the disappearin' railroad blues.

+ CHORUS

+ C - G - C - Am - F - C …

(orig. = capo 2nd; midi = capo 7th) (Willie Nelson)