I've heard him sing this a few times in person. He's been up to the old Calumet Theater in Calumet, MI, three times since I've lived up here. Fabulous classic venue. Even in a packed place you feel like he's singing right to you. An amazing guy and national treasure!
"...Ride their fathers magic carpets made of steel..." I love this line to no end and adore this song. I believe Stevie Goodman wrote this, and he is an incredible writer as well as a singer.
@@1510Ronald Yeah, lots of places on Earth are cool Many have a magic not found in the US too. But this one's about America, not the whole world. And we get to have that. It's good that it reminded you of other places. But America is where there's a little bit of every place though, so, not surprising. @Paul Melbourne- that line caught my attention too as I listened to this great song for the first time in years! It's a magic line that evokes all kinds of imagery, huh? Thanks for the bit about Stevie Goodman because I thought this was Arlo's song. I should have known it wasn't because I think it's better than anything else he did/wrote. I like Guthrie, don't get me wrong. Had Alice's Restaurant. But this song has a feel that's, well, I've overused the word, but it's magic. You're on the train, right? The song puts you there. I'm a musician. I think I'll have to learn to play this song next. But first I'm checking out this Goodman dude. You got me interested in him and I'd never heard of him, so thanks for educating me!.
My children and nieces and nephew love this song and they are ages 7,8,9,and 10 yrs old. I'm so proud that they have such great taste in music already.
I rode this train northbound from New Orleans to Hammond, La for four years while I was in college. While it was only a 60 mile ride every Monday morning during school time it was a lifetime of memories. Nothing like riding on a train. I rode one other train, the Southerner from Washington DC to New Orleans by myself at the age of 11. I really explored that train and loved every minute of it. My grandfather worked for the Southern Railroad for many many years and while bedridden with Parkinsons used to tell me story after story about his adventures on the trains. City of New Orleans is one song that seems to reverberate in my memories for nearly all of later years.
Without question, The City of New Orleans" is the GREATEST railroad song ever! There are no other railroad songs that can compare to the depth and the brillance of the lyrics.
Herb Dickens this Arlo Guthrie version of Steve Goodman's classic railroading song City Of New Orleans is by far the greatest song ever written about trainsvas you well agree! I just wish now I could have written it considering my own songs I've written and recorded recently in my friend Harry Kellogg's recording studio in Wartrace, Tennessee near Nashville! I could only hope mine are of this caliber!
I found out while I was in Marine boot camp that you can sing 'The Marine's Hymn' to the tune of "Wabash Cannon Ball" and vice-versa. Our DI's would have killed us if they ever heard us doing it.
i COME FROM GENERATIONS OF RAILROAD PEOPLE MY FATHER AND UNCLES ALL WORKED FOR THE UNION PACIFIC . THE OLD UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD STATION IN OMAHA IS A THING OF BEAUTY AND WONDER MY FATHERS HEART WAS BROKEN AS THE UNION PACIFIC FADED INTO THE NIGHT AND BECAME SOME COOPERATE MONSTROSITY CALLED AMTRAC THE AMTRAC STATION IN OMAHA IS A SMALL TRAILER SITTING IN THE SHADOW OF THE OLD UNION PACIFIC STATION. tHIS SONG CAPTURES THE GLORY AND LOSS PERFECTLY.
The railroads will have their day again, and not just for cargo traffic...when we've been forced into electric vehicles with limited driving range and air travel is the province of the only powerful and wealthy.
my dads favorite song...now mine too or top 20 at least family from new orleans..but i love the trains the sound, but the story is it...tearjerker sometimes..
When I got inducted (drafted) back in 1967 I rode a train south to Ft. Jackson SC and this soon reminds me of that ride through the night. It may have been off on time but the tune and the songs fit the mood of the train ride.
Me too on Northern Pacific from Butte, Mt. to Ft. Lewis, Wa. in '69. We all got drunk to celebrate our last night of freedom before training & off to 'Nam.
What I love most about this song, as a life long music buff and a life long railfan, as someone who rode some of these dying trains in the 1960s... what I love about it is that every word of it is true. It speaks the truth without judgement. Steve Goodman wrote it from firsthand experience and that's where truth comes from. No politics (although some will try to find it anyway). Just telling of a moment in time. America had many famous passenger trains, from Wall Street to Hollywood. But our Native Son ran from Chicago to New Orleans following the great Mississippi River through the heartland. A warning to musicians wanting to play this song: surprise, it's in the key of F# and it has 8 chords. Almost all of the published charts are in G, which makes it easier for virtually any instrument from guitar to piano to whatever. You just won't be able to practice along with Arlo. I thought perhaps youtube had altered the speed - sometimes it happens - but I just checked it with my vintage vinyl copy and the original recording is indeed in F#. You can detune your guitar a half tone across the board, that's the single ax bailout. But you can't capo down unfortunately, and it's a bitch to shift this chart on the keyboard. So I need to find somebody else's version in G to practice to. Please let it not be Willie. I don't hate Willie, I only hate what he did to my song.
To me what's interesting is that I've risen in the club car mentioned in this song. A small tourist railroad out of Alamosa, Colorado bought and refurbished the car and has it in service.
not everyone believed the railroad was on its last leg in 1972 when this song was released ten, twelve years later it was all but abandoned...but a company came along that saved the railroad...it was home depot believe it or not...they needed lumber in their stores so they started buying up and leasing abandoned and rarely used parts of the rail and soon things turned around and thanks to containers and homedepot it still here and as strong as ever(ok that's last statement was a stretch...lol)
Fantastic piece of Americana! I love this song. But poster, how can you load this with typos and lack of proper line breaks. Take some pride man and do it right...or, are you a millennial?
I've heard him sing this a few times in person. He's been up to the old Calumet Theater in Calumet, MI, three times since I've lived up here. Fabulous classic venue. Even in a packed place you feel like he's singing right to you. An amazing guy and national treasure!
Lots of folks sing this song. But Arlo is the best to me.
"...Ride their fathers magic carpets made of steel..."
I love this line to no end and adore this song. I believe Stevie Goodman wrote this, and he is an incredible writer as well as a singer.
yes well, this song bring memories to all countries I saw - each of them are nice countries all over our earth . Are they not?
@@1510Ronald Yeah, lots of places on Earth are cool Many have a magic not found in the US too. But this one's about America, not the whole world. And we get to have that. It's good that it reminded you of other places. But America is where there's a little bit of every place though, so, not surprising.
@Paul Melbourne- that line caught my attention too as I listened to this great song for the first time in years! It's a magic line that evokes all kinds of imagery, huh? Thanks for the bit about Stevie Goodman because I thought this was Arlo's song. I should have known it wasn't because I think it's better than anything else he did/wrote. I like Guthrie, don't get me wrong. Had Alice's Restaurant. But this song has a feel that's, well, I've overused the word, but it's magic. You're on the train, right? The song puts you there.
I'm a musician. I think I'll have to learn to play this song next. But first I'm checking out this Goodman dude. You got me interested in him and I'd never heard of him, so thanks for educating me!.
@@1510Ronald
It depends very much on what you want to see - and what you want to ignore.
My children and nieces and nephew love this song and they are ages 7,8,9,and 10 yrs old. I'm so proud that they have such great taste in music already.
always loved this song. brings tears to my eyes. real Americana
Steven Gamble
I rode this train northbound from New Orleans to Hammond, La for four years while I was in college. While it was only a 60 mile ride every Monday morning during school time it was a lifetime of memories. Nothing like riding on a train. I rode one other train, the Southerner from Washington DC to New Orleans by myself at the age of 11. I really explored that train and loved every minute of it. My grandfather worked for the Southern Railroad for many many years and while bedridden with Parkinsons used to tell me story after story about his adventures on the trains. City of New Orleans is one song that seems to reverberate in my memories for nearly all of later years.
Arlo is one our treasures here in the Berkshires used to see him frequently in great barrington mass!he's a trip!
Like father like son. Both great song writers.
even with all the shameful fighting going on in washinton dc i still love this country and songs like this remind me of it.
Without question, The City of New Orleans" is the GREATEST railroad song ever! There are no other railroad songs that can compare to the depth and the brillance of the lyrics.
The Wabash Cannonball was such a one from an earlier generation and more up-beat.
There was no train called the Wabash Cannonball until after the song. Literally the train was named after the song.
Herb Dickens this Arlo Guthrie version of Steve Goodman's classic railroading song City Of New Orleans is by far the greatest song ever written about trainsvas you well agree! I just wish now I could have written it considering my own songs I've written and recorded recently in my friend Harry Kellogg's recording studio in Wartrace, Tennessee near Nashville! I could only hope mine are of this caliber!
I found out while I was in Marine boot camp that you can sing 'The Marine's Hymn' to the tune of "Wabash Cannon Ball" and vice-versa. Our DI's would have killed us if they ever heard us doing it.
wish the lyrics were a bit more accurate in the video
One of my favorite songs that literally haunts me unto this very day. At least it is well within my range to sing.
byron p Mine to, good to know a kindred spirit.
Folks, it don't get any better than this!
You did a great job keeping the lyrics to the song moving at the right speed. Thank-you.
I'm arriving at Houston Airport after 10 years in Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. I can't stop listening to this
i COME FROM GENERATIONS OF RAILROAD PEOPLE MY FATHER AND UNCLES ALL WORKED FOR THE UNION PACIFIC . THE OLD UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD STATION IN OMAHA IS A THING OF BEAUTY AND WONDER MY FATHERS HEART WAS BROKEN AS THE UNION PACIFIC FADED INTO THE NIGHT AND BECAME SOME COOPERATE MONSTROSITY CALLED AMTRAC THE AMTRAC STATION IN OMAHA IS A SMALL TRAILER SITTING IN THE SHADOW OF THE OLD UNION PACIFIC STATION. tHIS SONG CAPTURES THE GLORY AND LOSS PERFECTLY.
Thank you
The railroads will have their day again, and not just for cargo traffic...when we've been forced into electric vehicles with limited driving range and air travel is the province of the only powerful and wealthy.
my dads favorite song...now mine too or top 20 at least family from new orleans..but i love the trains the sound, but the story is it...tearjerker sometimes..
When I got inducted (drafted) back in 1967 I rode a train south to Ft. Jackson SC and this soon reminds me of that ride through the night. It may have been off on time but the tune and the songs fit the mood of the train ride.
Me too on Northern Pacific from Butte, Mt. to Ft. Lewis, Wa. in '69. We all got drunk to celebrate our last night of freedom before training & off to 'Nam.
dear gawd I love this song.
I've loved this song for years.
What I love most about this song, as a life long music buff and a life long railfan, as someone who rode some of these dying trains in the 1960s... what I love about it is that every word of it is true. It speaks the truth without judgement. Steve Goodman wrote it from firsthand experience and that's where truth comes from. No politics (although some will try to find it anyway). Just telling of a moment in time. America had many famous passenger trains, from Wall Street to Hollywood. But our Native Son ran from Chicago to New Orleans following the great Mississippi River through the heartland.
A warning to musicians wanting to play this song: surprise, it's in the key of F# and it has 8 chords. Almost all of the published charts are in G, which makes it easier for virtually any instrument from guitar to piano to whatever. You just won't be able to practice along with Arlo. I thought perhaps youtube had altered the speed - sometimes it happens - but I just checked it with my vintage vinyl copy and the original recording is indeed in F#. You can detune your guitar a half tone across the board, that's the single ax bailout. But you can't capo down unfortunately, and it's a bitch to shift this chart on the keyboard. So I need to find somebody else's version in G to practice to. Please let it not be Willie. I don't hate Willie, I only hate what he did to my song.
Love Arlo and love this song!!!
Yes I do I think I am the only black women who loveArlo and this song
this is how we Vietnam vets Felt about America,
To me what's interesting is that I've risen in the club car mentioned in this song. A small tourist railroad out of Alamosa, Colorado bought and refurbished the car and has it in service.
incredible beautiful song i love it , it is touching!!
Willie Nelson did a good version of this, but no one can beat Arlo!
Arlo is a very talented musician. He makes that piano sing!
Love this song. Thx for posting. One typo: "...is all they FEEL (not hear)"
s couple more
Bravo, well done , nicely sang !
Beautiful song
Great song love it
Real slice of americana
not everyone believed the railroad was on its last leg in 1972 when this song was released ten, twelve years later it was all but abandoned...but a company came along that saved the railroad...it was home depot believe it or not...they needed lumber in their stores so they started buying up and leasing abandoned and rarely used parts of the rail and soon things turned around and thanks to containers and homedepot it still here and as strong as ever(ok that's last statement was a stretch...lol)
Brilliant !
nice video, great song. Noticed a spelling error -- Tennessee -- not Tenessee,
There are a number of other mistakes in transcribing too.
Pretty good song
My sister in law is riding a train into NOLA as I type so I sent her this song cuz its the same train maybe
the fade out is epic
Damn thing make me weep.
I love you Sue!
Song ends way too soon
For the record, this song was written by Steve Goodman, not Arlo.
We know that
By Steve Goodman, not Arlo Guthrie.
"the rhythm of the rails is all they feel." Not "hear"
would you please perform with your daughter on boston common for hemp fest Please , Massvocals
Good.
Go City!
It's a shame the lyrics couldn't be an overlay for some appropriate scenery.
Lyrics show Tennessee mispelled
Americana !
I'm the train they call the City of Loch Sheldrake.
i love amerivcans girls
thx
Simply genius, is arlo actually better than Dylan??
You can understand Arlo,Dylan,who the hell knows what he is saying ,still sounds good
Fantastic piece of Americana! I love this song. But poster, how can you load this with typos and lack of proper line breaks. Take some pride man and do it right...or, are you a millennial?
I like him singing it solo but this is alright..
not very many happy riding the train. I see many sad faces.
You'll see more sad face faces riding the bus. Believe me.
No capital letters bothered me.