No other city in the United States has so rich a culture. Nor has any other city been forced to continually grasp onto the the roots found on the riverbanks in order to survive. The Roots: family, food and music.
While I could spend months featuring the music of New Orleans and in fact many past blogs do, today we will talk about one song. And while it's title is "The City of New Orleans," the song is about a ride through the heartland on a train by the name of "The City of New Orleans."Written in 1970 by folk singer Steve Goodman, it became a hit when Steve convinced Arlo Guthrie to play and eventually record it. Just as John Mellencamp has so poignantly described the loss of America's farmlands, in "The City of New Orleans," Goodman paints a sad reflection of the diminishing use of train travel as a means of transportation.
The song has been covered by Guthrie, a Grammy winning version by Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed and many others.
First up is the late composer with his version. Take a listen, read the lyrics and think of when travel included hours of looking out of a window and seeing nameless towns, farmlands and views of nature's delights.
Steve Goodman and "The City of New Orleans"
"Riding on the City of New OrleansIllinois Central Monday morning railFifteen cars and fifteen restless ridersThree conductors and twenty-five sacks of mailAll along the southbound odysseyThe train pulls out at KankakeeRolls along past houses, farms and fieldsPassin' towns that have no namesFreight yards full of old black menAnd the graveyards of the rusted automobiles
Good morning, America, how are youDon't you know me, I'm your native sonI'm the train they call The City of New OrleansI'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done"
As travel has evolved from trains, to cars, to planes, we have lost touch with what was the backbone of this land. Everyday people with everyday lives, just contributing their portion of blood, sweat and tears. When was the last time kids in the backseat even picked up their heads from whatever electronic device they were using, to see the remnants from where this country came, in order to get an appreciation of all we have today.
"Dealin' cards with the old men in the club carPenny a point, ain't no one keepin' scoreWon't you pass the paper bag that holds the bottleFeel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floorAnd the sons of pullman portersAnd the sons of engineersRide their father's magic carpet made of steamMothers with their babes asleepAre rockin' to the gentle beatAnd the rhythm of the rails is all they dream"
The romantic view of an overnight train ride disguises the reality that the riders for this journey are slowly fading to black.
"Night time on The City of New OrleansChanging cars in Memphis, TennesseeHalf way home, and we'll be there by morningThrough the Mississippi darknessRolling down to the seaAnd all the towns and people seemTo fade into a bad dreamAnd the steel rails still ain't heard the newsThe conductor sings his song againThe passengers will please refrainThis train's got the disappearing railroad blues"
And there it is. Only a matter of time before another piece of Americana disappears into obsolescence.
"Good night, America, how are youDon't you know me, I'm your native sonI'm the train they call The City of New OrleansI'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done"
Bittersweet, haunting and simple. Wonderful imagery and a melody you can't get out of your head.
A few other versions of this wonderful song:
The version most people remember...Arlo Guthrie
The Highwaymen ...Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson
Jimmy Buffett
Joyful to hear and hard to believe such a beautiful song is an anthem to a train. That's just good writing.
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