City of New Orleans (song)
1972 single by Steve Goodman
City of New Orleans (song)
"City of New Orleans" is a country folk song written by Steve Goodman (and first recorded for Goodman's self-titled 1971 album), describing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad's City of New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms. Goodman got the idea while traveling on the Illinois Central line for a visit to his wife's family. The song has been recorded by numerous artists in the United States, including two major hit versions: first by Arlo Guthrie in 1972, and later by Willie Nelson in 1984. Goodman posthumously won the songwriting Grammy Award for Nelson's version. In Europe, his melody has most often been used with original foreign language lyrics, rather than translations of Goodman's lyrics. An article in the September 2017 issue of Trains magazine chronicles the writing and recording of the song and includes a biographical sketch of Steve Goodman. In June 2026, CBS News included the song in its list of the 250 essential American songs of...
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