Folk, Country

City of New Orleans Chords

Arlo Guthrie Beginner Key of G 5 Chords 3 min read

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

Arlo Guthrie’s folk classic about a train journey from Chicago to New Orleans. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match Arlo’s recording key of Bb, but play the G, C, D, and Em shapes shown.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans

C G D

Illinois Central Monday mornin’ rail

G C

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders

G D G

Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail

G C

All along the southbound odyssey

G D

The train pulls out at Kankakee

G C

And rolls along past houses, farms, and fields

G D

Passin’ trains that have no names

G C

Freight yards full of old black men

G D

And the graveyards of the rusty automobiles

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 2

G C

Dealin’ card games with the old men in the club car

G D G

Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score

G C

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

G D G

And feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor

G C

And the sons of pullman porters

G D

And the sons of engineers

G C G

Ride their father’s magic carpets made of steam

D

Mothers with their babes asleep

G C

Are rockin’ to the gentle beat

G D G

And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 3

G C

Night time on the City of New Orleans

G D G

Changin’ cars in Memphis, Tennessee

G C

Halfway home, we’ll be there by mornin’

G D G

Through the Mississippi dark and wide

G C

Steel rails still ain’t heard the news

G D

The conductor sings his song again

G C

The passengers will please refrain

G D G

This train’s got the disappearin’ railroad blues

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Outro

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Practice tip: The verses are long; practice the chord progression (G, C, G, D) slowly until you can sing and play without thinking about your hands.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

Arlo Guthrie’s folk classic about a train journey from Chicago to New Orleans. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match Arlo’s recording key of Bb, but play the G, C, D, and Em shapes shown.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans

C G D

Illinois Central Monday mornin’ rail

G C

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders

G D G

Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail

G C

All along the southbound odyssey

G D

The train pulls out at Kankakee

G C

And rolls along past houses, farms, and fields

G D

Passin’ trains that have no names

G C

Freight yards full of old black men

G D

And the graveyards of the rusty automobiles

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 2

G C

Dealin’ card games with the old men in the club car

G D G

Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score

G C

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

G D G

And feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor

G C

And the sons of pullman porters

G D

And the sons of engineers

G C G

Ride their father’s magic carpets made of steam

D

Mothers with their babes asleep

G C

Are rockin’ to the gentle beat

G D G

And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 3

G C

Night time on the City of New Orleans

G D G

Changin’ cars in Memphis, Tennessee

G C

Halfway home, we’ll be there by mornin’

G D G

Through the Mississippi dark and wide

G C

Steel rails still ain’t heard the news

G D

The conductor sings his song again

G C

The passengers will please refrain

G D G

This train’s got the disappearin’ railroad blues

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Outro

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Practice tip: The verses are long; practice the chord progression (G, C, G, D) slowly until you can sing and play without thinking about your hands.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

Arlo Guthrie’s folk classic about a train journey from Chicago to New Orleans. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match Arlo’s recording key of Bb, but play the G, C, D, and Em shapes shown.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans

C G D

Illinois Central Monday mornin’ rail

G C

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders

G D G

Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail

G C

All along the southbound odyssey

G D

The train pulls out at Kankakee

G C

And rolls along past houses, farms, and fields

G D

Passin’ trains that have no names

G C

Freight yards full of old black men

G D

And the graveyards of the rusty automobiles

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 2

G C

Dealin’ card games with the old men in the club car

G D G

Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score

G C

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

G D G

And feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor

G C

And the sons of pullman porters

G D

And the sons of engineers

G C G

Ride their father’s magic carpets made of steam

D

Mothers with their babes asleep

G C

Are rockin’ to the gentle beat

G D G

And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 3

G C

Night time on the City of New Orleans

G D G

Changin’ cars in Memphis, Tennessee

G C

Halfway home, we’ll be there by mornin’

G D G

Through the Mississippi dark and wide

G C

Steel rails still ain’t heard the news

G D

The conductor sings his song again

G C

The passengers will please refrain

G D G

This train’s got the disappearin’ railroad blues

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Outro

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Practice tip: The verses are long; practice the chord progression (G, C, G, D) slowly until you can sing and play without thinking about your hands.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

Arlo Guthrie’s folk classic about a train journey from Chicago to New Orleans. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match Arlo’s recording key of Bb, but play the G, C, D, and Em shapes shown.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans

C G D

Illinois Central Monday mornin’ rail

G C

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders

G D G

Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail

G C

All along the southbound odyssey

G D

The train pulls out at Kankakee

G C

And rolls along past houses, farms, and fields

G D

Passin’ trains that have no names

G C

Freight yards full of old black men

G D

And the graveyards of the rusty automobiles

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 2

G C

Dealin’ card games with the old men in the club car

G D G

Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score

G C

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

G D G

And feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor

G C

And the sons of pullman porters

G D

And the sons of engineers

G C G

Ride their father’s magic carpets made of steam

D

Mothers with their babes asleep

G C

Are rockin’ to the gentle beat

G D G

And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 3

G C

Night time on the City of New Orleans

G D G

Changin’ cars in Memphis, Tennessee

G C

Halfway home, we’ll be there by mornin’

G D G

Through the Mississippi dark and wide

G C

Steel rails still ain’t heard the news

G D

The conductor sings his song again

G C

The passengers will please refrain

G D G

This train’s got the disappearin’ railroad blues

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Outro

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Practice tip: The verses are long; practice the chord progression (G, C, G, D) slowly until you can sing and play without thinking about your hands.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

Arlo Guthrie’s folk classic about a train journey from Chicago to New Orleans. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match Arlo’s recording key of Bb, but play the G, C, D, and Em shapes shown.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans

C G D

Illinois Central Monday mornin’ rail

G C

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders

G D G

Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail

G C

All along the southbound odyssey

G D

The train pulls out at Kankakee

G C

And rolls along past houses, farms, and fields

G D

Passin’ trains that have no names

G C

Freight yards full of old black men

G D

And the graveyards of the rusty automobiles

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 2

G C

Dealin’ card games with the old men in the club car

G D G

Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score

G C

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

G D G

And feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor

G C

And the sons of pullman porters

G D

And the sons of engineers

G C G

Ride their father’s magic carpets made of steam

D

Mothers with their babes asleep

G C

Are rockin’ to the gentle beat

G D G

And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 3

G C

Night time on the City of New Orleans

G D G

Changin’ cars in Memphis, Tennessee

G C

Halfway home, we’ll be there by mornin’

G D G

Through the Mississippi dark and wide

G C

Steel rails still ain’t heard the news

G D

The conductor sings his song again

G C

The passengers will please refrain

G D G

This train’s got the disappearin’ railroad blues

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Outro

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Practice tip: The verses are long; practice the chord progression (G, C, G, D) slowly until you can sing and play without thinking about your hands.

Gtap to play

Ctap to play

Dtap to play

Emtap to play

Amtap to play

Key

G Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

G · C · D · Em · Am

Arlo Guthrie’s folk classic about a train journey from Chicago to New Orleans. Beginner difficulty in the key of G.

Folk Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 3rd fret to match Arlo’s recording key of Bb, but play the G, C, D, and Em shapes shown.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

G

Ridin’ on the City of New Orleans

C G D

Illinois Central Monday mornin’ rail

G C

Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders

G D G

Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail

G C

All along the southbound odyssey

G D

The train pulls out at Kankakee

G C

And rolls along past houses, farms, and fields

G D

Passin’ trains that have no names

G C

Freight yards full of old black men

G D

And the graveyards of the rusty automobiles

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 2

G C

Dealin’ card games with the old men in the club car

G D G

Penny a point, ain’t no one keepin’ score

G C

Pass the paper bag that holds the bottle

G D G

And feel the wheels rumblin’ ‘neath the floor

G C

And the sons of pullman porters

G D

And the sons of engineers

G C G

Ride their father’s magic carpets made of steam

D

Mothers with their babes asleep

G C

Are rockin’ to the gentle beat

G D G

And the rhythm of the rails is all they dream

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Verse 3

G C

Night time on the City of New Orleans

G D G

Changin’ cars in Memphis, Tennessee

G C

Halfway home, we’ll be there by mornin’

G D G

Through the Mississippi dark and wide

G C

Steel rails still ain’t heard the news

G D

The conductor sings his song again

G C

The passengers will please refrain

G D G

This train’s got the disappearin’ railroad blues

Chorus

G

Good mornin’ America, how are you?

C G D

Say, don’t you know me, I’m your native son

G

I’m the train they call the City of New Orleans

C G D G

I’ll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done

Outro

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Em C G

And the day is done

Practice tip: The verses are long; practice the chord progression (G, C, G, D) slowly until you can sing and play without thinking about your hands.