City Of New Orleans
View chords used in this chart
Intro: G
G D G
Riding on the City of New Orleans,
Em C G
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 Bm
All along the south bound odyssey, the train pulls out of Kankakee,
D A
Rolls along past houses farms and fields,
Em Bm
Passing trains that have no name, freight yards full of old black men
D D7 G
And the graveyards of rusted automobiles.
[Refrão]
C D7 G
Good morning, America, how are you?
Em C G D7 D9
Don't you know me? I'm your native son.
G D Em Em7 A7
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans.
Bb C D D9 G
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
G D G
Dealing card games with the old men in the club car,
Em C G
Penny a point, ain't no one keeping score.
G D G
Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle,
Em D G
Feel the wheels rumbling 'neath the floor.
Em Bm
And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers
D A
Ride their fathers' magic carpets made of steel.
Em Bm
Mothers with their babes asleep rocking to the gentle beat
D D7 G
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel.
[Refrão]
C D7 G
Good morning, America, how are you?
Em C G D7 D9
Don't you know me? I'm your native son.
G D Em Em7 A7
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans.
Bb C D D9 G
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
G D G
Nightime on the City of New Orleans,
Em C G
Changing cars in Memphis Tennessee.
G D G
Half way home, we'll be there by morning,
Em D G
through the Mississippi darkness rolling down to the sea.
Em Bm
But all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream
D A
And the steel rail still ain't heard the news.
Em Bm
The conductor sings his songs again, "Passengers will please refrain ... ."
D D7 G
This train got the disappearing railroad blues.
[Refrão]
C D7 G
Good night, America, how are you?
Em C G D7 D9
Don't you know me? I'm your native son.
G D Em Em7 A7
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans.
Bb C D D9 G
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
How to play City Of New Orleans
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is G. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.