City Of New Orleans
View chords used in this chart
capo 2
the last line of the Chorus is a walk down with the ring finger from the 3rd to second
fret on the a string,
then finish with the a chord.
D A D
Riding on the City of New Orleans
Bm G D A
Illinois Central Monday morning rail
D A D
Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Bm A D
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail.
Bm F#m
All along the south bound odyssey, the train pulls out of Kenkakee
A E
Rolls along past houses farms and fields
Bm F#m
Passing trains that have no name, freight yards of old black men
A A7 D
And graveyards of rusted automobiles.
G A D
Good morning America, how are you?
Bm G D
Say, don't you know me, I'm your native son.
A7 D A Bm E7
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans
C G A D
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
D A D
Dealing card games with the old men in the club car
Bm G D A
Penny a point ain't no one keeping score
D A D
Pass the paper bag but hold the bottle
Bm A D
Feel the wheels rumbling 'neath the floor
Bm F#m
And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers
A E
Ride their father's magic carpets made of steel
Bm F#m
Mother with her babes asleep rocking to the gentle beat
A A7 D
And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel.
G A D
Good morning America, how are you?
Bm G D
Say, don't you know me, I'm your native son.
A7 D A Bm E7
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans
C G A D
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.
D A D
Night time on the City of New Orleans
Bm G D A
Changing cars in Memphis Tennessee
D A D
Halfway home we'll be there by morning
Bm A D
through the Mississippi darkness rolling down to the sea.
Bm F#m
But all the towns and people seem to fade into a dark dream
A E
And the steel rail still ain't heard the news
Bm F#m
The conductor sings his songs again, the passengers will please refrain
A A7 D
This train got the disappearing railroad blues.
G A D
Good morning America, how are you?
Bm G D
Say, don't you know me, I'm your native son.
A7 D A Bm E7
I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans
C G A D
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 D. 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.