One outstanding video to boot!! Represents the feel of the tracks and the people who still enjoy taking some time to relate to those others on the trains. We're going to miss them if they leave forever. Take an Amtrak if you care to really see this great country we call America! It's worth a couple of extra bucks.
Magnificent. The line "And the sons of Pullman porters, and the sons of engineers, ride their fathers' magic carpets made of steel" is worthy of Shakespeare.
Not really. But I love this song. I am a Brit who never been near America, but when I hear this song, I see all the America we have been sold. Plus I love trains. I could write a song about a train through Britain, but it would not have the romance of this.
@@hogwashmcturnip8930 All along the southbound odysee , she got me off in ecstasy, as we rode along through home farms an fields, passing towns that have no names, freight yards full of working men, oh what she did to me with her high heels... yup the romance of the railz
My father in law worked for the railroads his whole life. He died about 5 years.ago.Because of his condition he was in a home the last year of his life. My wife sensed he would not make it thru the night so my son, my wife and I stayed with him.He was totally unresponsive the last few hours. My wife played religious songs for him. Somehow I remembered he really liked this song.We found it on google and played it for him. Halfway through the song he turned his his head and tried to sing the the song with us. He dies a few minutes later. I still get tears in my eyes when I hear this song
I'm a railway worker with 43 years service in Ireland working out of Kent Station Cork. This is a great song and is applicable to all Railway men everywhere.
2 Thumbs up on that, a very nice attitude for anyone working with the steel ribbons, the signals, maintenance of way, engines and rolling stock a great industry and career.
My grandfather was a conductor for the B&O out of Baltimore. Didn't know him well. I was barely 8 when he passed. But after my dad also left us... I found all my Granddad's railroad pins with the last being for 60 years of service.
I grew up outside of NOLA, and once rode the City of New Orleans home from grad school in Chicago. This is almost certainly the greatest train song ever written.
that's pretty cool. I'm also from New Orleans but have never been on a train (except to visit). I've always taken planes. But an interesting fact is that when I was really young, I wanted to work on a train (I'm female) but people thought I was crazy. I now work as a psychotherapist but if I had the chance to do everything all over again and would have been able to work on a train, I just might have preferred to take that road in life instead. ♥
I dont know if anyone will actually read my comment so far down the line but this song has always been special to me. My grandfather was a Gandy Dancer for Pennsylvania RailRoad, he even got to see the Hindenburg crash while working one day. He was a small man at only 5'3" but could drive a spike in only 3 swings. I never got to meet him but this song makes me feel a special connection to him somehow. Great video.
Two "connects." Lived in New Orleans (a "local," but not my main house) for a bit a few years ago. Also, tested some military radios (as a contractor) on the very spot of the Hindenburg crash (by surprise as I did it!) prior to the NOLA stay. All the best!
Bless your heart, Sir. I just read about CN shutting down service due to the 'protesters' - it makes my blood boil! Your service is appreciated....sign me, Just a railfan in Phoenix, AZ
@@jessstone7211 I'm in agreement with you Sir. I'm sick and tired of all the protesters who are trying to shift this great Republic further to the left and socialism. I love this song being sung by Arlo Guthrie. To my way of thinking, his is the best version.
The US is the leading contributor to global warming, along with China and India, and people like you just want to turn a blind eye. When the big waves hit, they won't just take out the oil and coal companies. They'll take everyone. I don't believe in protests, or socialism. I believe in social democracy. But the US does allow freedom of speech. And we DO need to shift away from fossil fuels.
Oops, I'm not practicing what I'm preaching, by being somehow confrontational. I know there are so many layers of reasoning we don't see, clearly. All of us. I guess it's the urgency and complexity of today's world. I'm no expert, but from what I've gathered, this particular global warming cycle has many sources. It's the total effect from methane gas, to hydrocarbons, to CO2, and generally all the combined industrial and personal pollution in the air and water over the past 100-150 years. This warming cycle has warmed the Earth's surface as much in the past 130 years than any of the previous warming cycles, which took 10-20,000 years. Back then, it was just natural CO2 emissions from animals, I guess. Not too much. The Earth was actually beginning a longer 100,000 year cooling trend, when industry reversed the cooling- to warming temps. We're technically in a long cooling cycle. It looks like the pollutants are beating out the further orbiting away from the sun.
Can you tell me how the new PTC system is going? I took the Amtrak from Martinez, Ca to Tacoma, Wa., and it was a beautiful trip! It's so fun. Meeting folks on the train and looking at scenery. And I've had some shorter trips up here in Washington, but there was a derailment in 2017, south of Tacoma. Three passengers were killed, and many injured. The train was going three times the speed limit, which the conductor didn't see. I know the odds of dying in a train wreck are around 500,000 to one. I'm not sure if all Amtrak routes have the PTC controls, or any ATC controls. I saw one report that said the program was to be in effect by 2019. I hope so, because depending on conductors seeing the speed limit signs doesn't thrill me, as a passenger.
It was my honor to have met Steve Goodman, the man who wrote this song. His passing from leukemia in 1984 silenced a wonderful voice, a talented song writer and great human. My thanks to Arlo Guthrie for bringing Steve's song to a wider audience.
I am an adopted son of America 🇺🇸 for the last 55 years. I miss fifties, sixties, and seventies music, among other things. Most of all, I miss my youth, good health and all that goes along with it. I am just glad 😊that I got to live a good and fulfilling life in my adopted country, good old U S of A❗️
I'm not an American and my native language isn't even English, but I've visited the United States 11 times, ( between 1996 to 2020 ), and I can totally understand your feelings. I only have good memories of the American people and situations I encountered there. I'm 71 and widowed for ten years now, but I plan to visit the U.S. again in 2025 and I'm really looking forward to it. Wishing you all the best.
😊 I know this might not be a thought u thought.... yet you did live at that time n still have you tube to revisit at your leisure 😊😮😅. I agree with your comments
@@cynthiabinder3730 So true Cynthia, I did collect my favorite music in records, then CDs, even 8 track tapes which are all sitting in boxes in my garage. I am glad to be able to watch & listen to all that music on CZcams for sure❗️
@@frequentvisitor4405 Dear @frequentvisitor4405, thank you for YOUR nice comment. Yes, all the Americans I met were very nice to me and I think, not just because I'm an older lady, (LOL). I always travel alone since my husband died and I love the endless freedom and the challenge of being responsible only for myself....and I love planning and learning something new....Why not have a ride with the "City of New Orleans" train ? You gave me the inspiration for this ... Thank you and all the best for you.
I know a american guy here in hamburg/germany. He arrived years ago this country and lost his two legs by an acciddent with a u-train. he walks always so so very friendly and lovely and cool with prothetic legs very slowly in the city of hamburg, years later he is afraid to go alone in the u-train underground, one day I´ll protect him and walk together with him in the underground and drove with him 3 stations near to his home, and he told me his story...not angry, no hate, only friendly , lovely, smiling, while my heart inside is breaking....so: I cried, because I had no shoes, than I met a man, who had no legs. sorry for my terrible english
Mama used to say that to me as a child. She taught me and my sisters gratitude for everything in life...never take anything or anyone for granted! Thank you for your heartwarming message!
This song always literally brings me to tears. It's a reminder of simple, beautiful times in our wonderful country that has sadly been divided by hatred and violence. So sad, but we're still the best country on the planet. Hope we can achieve peace and love again.
Sanford, this is a song which does remind us of simpler and happier times in this country - and I, too, hold out for the forces of peace and love to prevail, my friend.
We are the best country on the planet. But apparently, the US Women's Soccer Team doesn't think so. It is the left who are dividing the country and causing all this hate and violence.
@@gizhou3034 Stop trolling. Jim Crow was abolished well over half a century ago and since blacks have enjoyed more rights than whites in this country. You don't like it here you are free to go. Bye.
This song is so nostalgic. I remember being a child in the seventies, sitting on the porch step one morning listening to this song on the radio. It felt like a much simpler time.
My Grandfather also worked on the St.Fe RR. He fell off the engine while signaling an on coming train. While being operated on for hip injury, his heart stopped. The Dr. Said it was like 'a bolt out of the blue'. Unknown cause. I was seven. I've never heard this song without rembering the trains whistling long while passing by the graveyard when the services were going on. In salute to him. I Love trains! That was sixty years ago this November...
In 1944 my mom rode the train all the way from Nashville, TN to San Francisco to marry my dad whose ship was docked there for a few days during the War. Can’t hear this song without thinking of that. Arlo Guthrie captures everything Steve Goodman intended to convey when he wrote it.
This song is Americana at its best. I always tear up when I listen to it. A once proud and busy railroad, dwindling down to bankruptcy. Passenger numbers fell beneath the floor due to air travel. No one wanted to ride old, worn out coaches for a day when a jet could get you there in hours. People in a hurry and not pausing to appreciate everything around you. The ICC killed the railroads with rules written in the 1880’s that desperately needed updating. By the time Jimmy Carter stepped in, it was too late. Many of these classic lines were destitute with no money to repair decades of abuse. Very sad.
Back in the mid 80's I took the Lakeshore limited outa Boston,Mass to Chicago to go to a model train meet. Yeah trains I love'em, one sees more of America that way
SAD AND Memorable; makes it tolerable, yes ? May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo? I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON. We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do! (Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG! RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others! Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG! LyndaFaye "The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical. "Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp. LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
9 years retired, engineer for Conrail and Norfolk Southern. The best railroad song ever written. I could listen to it every day. 34 1/2 years in passenger and freight service.
Well God Bless You Cheeky Monkey, for being a big part of the country's history- railroad people are a special breed and we still need them. Enjoy your retirement- build a model train environment.
SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete ! May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo? I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON. We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do! (Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG! RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others! Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG! LyndaFaye "The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical. "Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp. LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
I 81 and remember on the great great great great music and I grew up with. In my 20s I was a radio announcer and love the music that day later became a doctor and never lost my love for the music of the 50s 60s 70s and 80s
This song paints such a beautiful picture. I introduced this song to my kids and they all love it. I know they will pass this song along to their kids. Thats what folk music does. :)
85 years later, as a small boy I can still remember laying in bed at night and waiting for the trains to go by about a mile from home, some from those lonely sounding steam whistles and later the moan of those air horns as the big diesels left for places far away, lonely sounds at night. The steam whistles are long gone, but the big diesels still send their music out over the rails. Wonderful memories.
I too was fortunate to have lived for a few years near passing railroad tracks. I could hear the faint, practically melodic sound of the horn as it disappeared into the night. For some reason, it was mesmerizing. Years later, I still miss it.
Well I have 1 of'em a Lunkenheimer 3 chimer all brass and takes an inch an a 1/4 pipe, I fired it off a boiler owned by the New England steam and wireless museum in R.I. dayum that whistle sounded good.
Well Fred, I have the whistle and the bell the bell has a pneumatic slammer in it as well as being able to pull the upper frame to ring and a Lunkenheimer 3 chime whistle I fired off the factory boiler, collecting r.r. stuff is kool.
Sadly the days that this story refers to are gone forever, replaced by garbage! I know you'll all say I'm living in the past, but so what!??! There were some good days there, and you have to admit there aren't an awfully lot anymore. As maqny of us face the ends of our lives, these days will not exist anymore and that is such a shame!!
590 dislikes? Are you guys effin' *CRAZY* ?!! How any sane person with half the brains God gave a squirrel, (and any sense of musical taste), can dislike this song is a mystery to me. Arlo Guthrie has (had?) more talent in his pinky fingernail than most of today's "musicians" have in their entire bodies. This song is a classic and my hat's off to the creator of this video. Tireless work and patience have paid off with one of the best videos I have seen.
There is no new music today, when Cher released Believe with autotune she unwittingly destroyed new music. That software turns 1/2 Squirrel brains into million sellers.....
My great grandfather was an engineer on the Illinois Central, he died on the locomotive in the 50's I carried on the tradition in the family on the railroad, thank you for this beautiful video, thank you so much for this beautiful song.
Just retired after 41 years with Southern Railway/Norfolk Southern. Very proud of it! I hired out just after Amtrak had taken over what was left of the individual railroads passenger trains. It was the end of an era, and that’s what this song showcases! Southern still sent our paychecks out of Atlanta on “the Crescent”, which was their last passenger train. Amtrak had just taken over the Crescent, but our checks where still sent on it. Great song, great video! There’s an old bluegrass song that has the words “ if I die a railroad man, plant me ‘neath the ties, so I can hear ol’ 92, when she comes rollin by”! I understand!!!
@@hmackie6823 Arlo's not the important one here; he's just the singer in a fake cowboy hat. Steve Goodman wrote the great lyrics and the music. Don't know if Steve ever worked with his hands, but I think that's more likely than Arlo
Awesome! I feel love and extreme nostalgia every time I hear this song!! Hip hip Hooray for Arlo Guthrie! Yes, I'm proud to say he's my native Son! Lol ..💖
I’m a member of a senior chorus in Ballston Spa,and to my great delight I will be soloing on this song at one of our luncheons. Our chorus director asked us to list our favorite songs and I immediately sent him this one. I will be delighted to sing it for my fellow seniors. I hope they enjoy it as much as I do. Wish me luck!! Elizabeth Delgado
My Grandpa (Frederick "Fritz" Mayer) retired from the Illinois Central Railroad after 50 years of loyal service to the IC in 1963, and later in his IC career was the locomotive engineer for the City of New Orleans for part of its route in Southern Illinois. I love your tribute here to those passionate men and women who as you so eloquently state that 'toil day and night providing safe transportation services' by rail for us. Thank you for your magnificent tribute to them.
@stefanomagaddino6868 At one time regulations for engineers were very stringent-and outdated. The were based on miles and not time. At one point, there was an equilibrium but locomotives became faster and more powerful. An engineer could produce a days work in a few hours.
@@ShelleyVideo SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete ! May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo? I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON. We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do! (Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG! RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others! Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG! LyndaFaye "The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical. "Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp. LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
Never been on a long distance train ride which I know have much better sleeping arrangements for those long rides than Greyhound which was one mode of traveling that was more familiar to me.
I remember this song being played in a supermarket here in Oregon. When it came to the chorus, I could hear a lot of people softly singing along. Rest in peace Steve Goodman.
Thank you to all the railroad men and woman. My Uncle, Hank, was a railroad man for the Union Pacific Railroad. A Brakeman. He was so old. He may have fed the firebox with coal or firewood when they ran off of steam. Thank you America for all you have given us.
Once more my heart sheds tears. But I am so happy with my memories. At 77 I am ready to finish this journey. Thank you. May you and yours stay well and prosper.
It's hard to grasp how I feel listening to this. .. It connects me to the ground under my feet, the people around me, and the land I live in. Don't keep your head down on your cellphone. This world still has a lot of beauty you'll miss out on.
My maternal great-grandfather, Clarence Scott, was train engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad during the early 20th Century. In the video it was nice to see the train engineer driving the train; it gave me an idea what my grandfather did on the railroad.
THIS FILM AND THIS TRAIN IS SO LOADED WITH MEMORIES FOR ME, I CANT WATCH WITHOUT GETTING TEARY EYED. MY EXPERIENCE BEGAN AS A CHILD WATCHING THIS TRAIN FROM A WOODEN FOOTBRIDGE IN MATTOON ILLINOIS, AND VOWING TO RIDE IT AWAY FROM THAT GOD FORSAKEN TOWN TO THE BIG CITY.
Hey!, I'm 78 and I still PLAY with trains. I am in California and have supervision via video. Courtesy of my six year old Grandson in Melbourne Australia.
I am a Locomotive Engineer for Metro North in NY and God willing will retire in 4 weeks. Being an Engineer was my childhood dream. Its so true, my sons and my daughter have rode their fathers magic carpet made from steel, something they will never forget. My thanks to God for a great memorable 24 years on the rails.
God bless you and yours. I grew up living in hearing distance of the train horns and I still do; love to barely hear them in the distance and used to love to ride passenger trains, especially Amtrak's Crescent. Not sure how long they'll survive, and service has unfortunately been downgraded by management.
How can a young man get a job on the railroad my grandson is 20 and we go to video trains in fla every chance we get it would be a dream come true for him he would do any job connected to rail
Used to take the railroad from New York City back to Hartford to visit my folks when I began attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1969. Always loved taking the train as opposed to a bus, loved the views out the windows and the sounds and motions of the ride. Best way to travel in those days. Elizabeth Delgado Art & Design
For five years I road the City of New Orleans, but in the opposite direction. What memories this magnificent video brings back. In the cavern of Central Station the conductor in his deep-throated sound of the deep South: Now departing on track number 9 the City of New Orleans, northbound for Dyersburg, Fulton, Cairo, Carbondale, Centralia, Effingham, Kankakee, sixty-eight street and the Chicago terminal. All aboard! God, the memories. The beer flew and the lies exaggerated our life.
@@mafirearmsafety Arlo told the story in a concert a few years back. Something like this. " After a concert I was sitting at the bar having a beer. A short guy came up and wanted me to listen to his song. I said I don't like songs. I don't even like my own songs. Buy me a beer and I'll listen as long as the beer lasts. The song was City of New Orleans and the guy was Steve Goodman." As close as I can remember what Arlo said. Never took credit for the song for himsellf.
Amtrak has resurrected 'The City of New Orleans'. They invited Mr. Guthrie on the first time it ran. He really enjoyed himself on the train ride, from what I heard.
Steve Millers album Book of Dreams and I whoooshed back to 1977 Stacy's 🏠! With her sisters Camaro parked in the driveway! Instantly! Eric Underwood Class of 81 Downey High school CA ✌️
@@jamescoleakaericunderwood2503 SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete ! May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo? I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON. We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do! (Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG! RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others! Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG! LyndaFaye "The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical. "Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp. LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
@@lyndafaye6748 Hey! Sounds like a fun play you're putting together! Long Island huh! What part of California did you end up in? Hopefully Southern California Beaches.... that's where we hung out alot... Huntington beach pier and Newport CA not RI... I worked out at Dulles airport in 95 I drove Hwy 50 just to see how lonely it really is...I don't remember seeing another car the whole time from Nevada till I got to Salt Lake ... coming down our of the Nevada Mountains you get a sense of loneliness when you see that long stretch of road in front of you ..then it hits you when you're down in the valley driving...ya know what happened just then....a lone Bald Eagle flew over the cab of my F-250 truck and I pulled over ( Because I have a thing for Eagles!) I walked back the way the Eagle flew and I came across a barbed wire the upon a little hill when I got to the fence I was taken aback because there was this huge lake that I couldn't see from the highway with what I thought was a light dusting of snow ...so I walked down towards the water and came to a stop ... because I got that feeling I was being WATCHED it was very strong....so I panned slowly to my left first....HOLY SHIT! THERE WAS ABOUT 50 BALD EAGLES STANDING IN THE SHALLOWS STARING AT ME! so I slowly pan to my right... HOLY SHIT! ABOUT 50 MORE ALL STARING AT ME! it wasn't snow ...it was Bald Eagles! I stood in pure awe for a time then bowed and went on my way! I have to disagree with you on the Art/Music song thing... " The Mona Lisa" I'm an artist and my medium is Terrazzo and terrazzo has been around for centuries....Oh I went to Downey High school with James Hetfield of Metallica.... He used to walk around Downey High with his head bobbing up and down playing music as he walked! 🤷✌️🙋❤️🇺🇸 Eric Underwood Class of 81 Downey High school CA ✌️
I was just a boy when I heard this song. Yes the days were hard but life was much simpler than today. Technology gave us convenience, but ugliness came with it.
Well put! I have ridden The City of New Orleans (Amtrak's version) several times. It is nice but doesn't compare with the original Illinois Central or yesteryears' rail travel.
@@amtrakbasketmaker6404 I just recently discovered videos made by riders on the Amtrak trains including the City of New Orleans. Coming into New Orleans the train runs parallel with Interstate 10 (?) which is elevated above the water for a good many miles. The last scene in this video shows that interstate.
@@sharonnelson3397 Mornin' I have riden the City several times mostly north from Fulton, KY. One trip was south to catch the Sunset Limited out of NOL but we were late and they bused us from McComb, MS to LaFayette, LA. The bus driver was a born and raised Cajun and kept us all in stitches. What a hoot! I remember we drove over the Huey P. Long bridge because it reminded me of my dad. Though he was born and raised in Boston he had a thing for the history of Huey P. Long's "career".
That's really cool I'm a big fan of trains model railroads and real ones ever since I was a kid 😉 I'm in Florida I remember when it was Seaboard coastline trains through here then CSX
I have a few vague memories of my maternal Grandfather (and some old photos) of him. He worked on the NKP for 41 years. I have a pic of him with me, as a toddler, on one of the last runs he made thru Lima, Ohio before retiring in 1959, as a conductor. Unfortunately, he passed a short time later of lung cancer (too many Chesterfields) before I ever had a chance to know him and hear his railroad stories. I would have loved to hear them.
@@avengernemesis7990 Greetings from California USA Happy New Year! My Dad was over there Adelaide, Rockhampton getting patched up in the hospital there after the battle of Buna/ Sanananda Dec 1942✌️🇦🇺🇺🇸
Some songs are just impossible to not like and this is one song that really deserves a video attachment. It's just so perfect. It speaks FAR beyond what we only hear and imagine while listening. This song is hardcore part of people's lives and It certainly doesn't hurt that I love trains too. ANYONE who has traveled the world, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, Germany, Australia, France, India(!) and so many others, and experienced it through the windows of very many trains understands immediately. It's a love affair that too few understand or will ever discover. Their loss. And America threw them away...for cars. Nothing more need be said.
I loved this song the first time I heard it as a teen. Now I'm hedging on 70 and this is still one of my favorite songs. Great music endures--and this is a great song.
I don't know why but this song is just so badass. The best version is the studio version by Arlo Guthrie. Steve Goodman did a good job writing the song too. It does something to the listener.
I’m in Australia and have only been on an American train once, in 2017. Washington DC to NYC. Loved it, loved the Red Caps. I’ve always loved this song, it captures the spirit of train travel perfectly. ❤
As someone who rode the passenger rails for over 30 years, may I salute Dave Goodman for writing the consummate railroad ballad, Arlo Guthrie for his perfect rendition and, especially, AK Dian for the stunning film accompaniment. Well done all!
My dad worked for the Rock Island RR. We lived across a gravel road from the tracks and heard this rhythm of the wheels and the whistle blowing as it neared the crossing. When I hear this song I have to sing along, she'd a tear, and smile. Thanks, Arlo.
My dad worked for the Rock Island too. He was a B and B Carpenter. Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific. Ain't many of us around anymore that remember the old Rock Island line.
looks like no one is watching this lately xcept you. so i will post my comment here: Goddam awesome vid work so perfect. and i rode this train twice one way. thanks, bro'.
I work for Amtrak Mechanical here in Chicago goin on 22yrs. & prior that had 6yrs. with BNSF Suburban. This song 🎶 warms my heart & yes I see the “City Of New Orleans” equipment everyday goin & comin from Union Station 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽 !!!
72 years old and this brings back a memory of my Dad and Uncle taking me from Champaign, Il to Chicago to see the Cubs (who were terrible then). I am pretty sure we went on the City of New Orleans. This was around 1961 I think. I remember the stop in Kankakee.
Yes i can still remember all those years ago, 1963 late november traveling on this train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans , same time JFK was shot in Dallas, I turned 80 last month, and i like this song a lot, // Old good songs never dies..*
This song is not just a classic, but one of the best folk songs ever! Arlo Guthrie sings perfectly about the journry of the train from Chicago to New Orleans as it travels the land of the Mississippi River, and all the peace and productive life that involves it. In other words, it's like a perfect Norman Rockwell song.
You could say Arlo Guthrie owns this one, as nobody quite gets it with the same feel. Love the imagery, lyrics, and melody. A great song indeed. Thanks for sharing.
Several years ago, I found a Steve Goodman version of the song performed live. As good as Steve's studio version and Arlo's cover are, this live version IMO really captured the spirit of the song. And yes, there have been so many horrible covers of 'City Of New Orleans' done over the years (at one point, it was almost obligatory for any artist who did railroad songs or folk ballads to cover this one) - like Johnny Cash singing 'And the graveyards Filled with rusted automobiles."
I absolutely love this song, one of my all-time favorites. It reminds me of a couple of top-class trains in South Africa in my young days: The Blue Train, (Expensive, mainly for tourists), and the Trans-Karoo Express, which I travelled on several times. The wonder of breakfast in the dining car, seeing the Texas-like Karoo passing by and the last two hours before reaching Cape Town - magic!
This song reminds me of my former hometown of Kankakee,IL! As I was born there 65 years ago! Been there once in 2008 and the town's still there ; I didn't see nor hear the old train whistle though. Most folks I meet never heard of my hometown of Kankakee, Illinois, however; when I mention this 🎵 '-their eyes light up and they recognize the song immediately ! Thanks, CZcams you made my day and an unknown town famous in this little song ditty !
These lyrics by Steve Goodman are haunting and the tone in Arlo Guthrier's voice is perfect. No other singer captures the emotions in this so so well. VERY special thanks to A K Dian for the wonderful video images.....your effort is flawless. Heavens angels could not have done better. I listen and watch this song again and again as I do my computer work.....this song and your images put me into my happy place of total peace. Sadly this song reminds me where we once were and where we are now. I am getting more and more sentimental with each year.
My uncle worked for Illinois Central for 48 years and he was the engineer on the City of New Orleans from Riceful Kentucky to Memphis Tennessee three times a week for 25 years. He was very proud of his job!!
As a kid my Aunt and I always rode the train Houston Texas to Southern Colorado for years. I remember the wonderful ham sandwiches they sold on the train. As a kid I always lived near a railroad track. The sound of the trains running put into a good nights sleep. To this day I love hearing trains.
Absolutely superb song and brill piano playing such fulfilling words and music with a beginning middle and end which leaves you fully satisfied and wanting to hear it all over again Thanks Steve(RIP) and Arlo. Love it to bits.
This was a Steve Goodman song. I picked him up to take him home after his trip on The City of New Orleans which he had so anticipated for weeks. Driving toward Lake Michigan on Lakeshore Dr, he told us he had written a song while on that last run. He sang a couple verses and the chorus and asked us what we thought... 2 yrs later it was all over the radio with everyone thinking Arlo had written it. But I'll never forget Stevie in the backseat, with his bright eyes, singing that song he wrote while on that last voyage of the City of New Orleans. Memorable. RIP Steve and love to Nancy!
I was real glad they gave a big credit to Steve with his picture at the end of this video. I first heard Steve in '73, and he of course played this and told the story of how Arlo came to play it. Steve was a great songwriter and performer whose life was cut way too short. Thanks for your wonderful story! RIP Steve Goodman! (Have you given up on politics?)
My Grandmother, Louise Wilhelmsen Hodges actually wrote most of this song long before she met Steve on the train. She worked as a telephone operator for the ICRR and rode the train every week from McComb MS to New Orleans and visited many other cities as well. The fare was free for her. Steve happened to hear her singing on the train, which she frequently did. She was a local New Orleans actress and singer/songwriter. He told her he was a songwriter and they sat together for a couple of hours and tweaked the lyrics. The melody was entirely hers and they collaborated on the lyrics. She had ridden the train for decades and knew the types of passengers, the locations, the mothers with their babes asleep, the rusted automobiles. Steve told her he believed the song would be a hit and asked her what type of compensation she wanted if it was recorded. Granny, who was nearly 70 years old at that time, said she needed no compensation other than to hear it on the radio. Steve had her sign a paper sating that she would be paid no compensation! Long story. There are more details, but she indeed started the whole mesmerizing song about the romance of riding the great City of New Orleans. There are details about her in the Railroad Museum in McComb, Mississippi!!!
What a beautiful recollection; possibly some luck, too , yes ? SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete ! May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo? I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON. We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do! (Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG! RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others! Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG! LyndaFaye "The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical. "Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp. LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
Classic from childhood..use sing it Sunday am up in Canada as a boy....Loved singing loud.. Good Mornin' America how are yah...just a kid , Summer '72❤ Thank you! Arlo..song 4 life.
Makes me sad. America is not what it once was and maybe never be again. Thank GOD we still have all the songs and the memories 💕
You're comment makes me get tears, you are so correct..Yaa this country was a much better place in it's past.
To me it feels as if we are near the end. A whole new world is coming and I am scared to think what it has in store.
Yes reminds me of when America was great and not like Trump wants it to be. From an Australian 73 yrs old in Oz.
Amen to that....my late mom's parents were "Southern Railway"🚂 station agents and I love this song....
You are so right we have turned a corner and it's not good!
What a fabulous tribute to the railroad. Isn't she beautiful. Arlo does this song justice.
You are not infringing on my privacy. It is a beautiful song. I am well. How are you?
@David Holton I am from Vancouver British Columbia. Where are you from?
@David Holton In most areas its all getting back to normal. How is it in Texas?
This song and Wabash Cannon Ball are my favorite railroad songs.
One outstanding video to boot!! Represents the feel of the tracks and the people who still enjoy taking some time to relate to those others on the trains. We're going to miss them if they leave forever. Take an Amtrak if you care to really see this great country we call America! It's worth a couple of extra bucks.
One of the greatest Americana songs ever written and recorded.
Magnificent. The line "And the sons of Pullman porters, and the sons of engineers, ride their fathers' magic carpets made of steel" is worthy of Shakespeare.
Not really. But I love this song. I am a Brit who never been near America, but when I hear this song, I see all the America we have been sold. Plus I love trains. I could write a song about a train through Britain, but it would not have the romance of this.
@@hogwashmcturnip8930 All along the southbound odysee , she got me off in
ecstasy, as we rode along through home farms an fields, passing towns that have no names, freight yards full of working men, oh what she did to me with her high heels... yup the romance of the railz
@Raymond Garafano the line is
All along the southbound odyssey, the train pulls out of Kankakee....
@@themiskulaniuschannel9762 I knew that, I'm always changing verses in songs.
@@raymondgarafano8604 gotcha...
This song is a tribute to American and all railroaders around the world. Rest in Peace Steve Goodman.
Ditto
AMEN
@uglyfrog7263.....I couldn't agree with you more.....Perfect comment.
@@fredk9999 I like Willie's version of it, but this one has more feeling than his does.
"The rhythm of the rails" ..... I feel it every time I hear this song.
I drove Diesel Locomotives for 37 years. I retired 8 years ago. I loved every second of it. I miss it every single day.
Does that kind of job pay well nowadays?
@@stevenbolton3482 I retired 8 years ago. But, the salary was phenomenal. Also, I love trains anyway.
Scott I to was behind the throttle for 43 years. No regrets ever.
Thank You....for putting in those years making America run and move just like the steam powered aeroplane you were conducting
And I was saying, "Hiball the air, We're in the clear, flags down."
One of the Greatest Train Songs of all time!
"Mothers with their babes asleep, rockin' to the gentle beat and the rhythm of the rails is all they feel ". Pure magic.
My father in law worked for the railroads his whole life. He died about 5 years.ago.Because of his condition he was in a home the last year of his life. My wife sensed he would not make it thru the night so my son, my wife and I stayed with him.He was totally unresponsive the last few hours. My wife played religious songs for him. Somehow I remembered he really liked this song.We found it on google and played it for him. Halfway through the song he turned his his head and tried to sing the the song with us. He dies a few minutes later. I still get tears in my eyes when I hear this song
Thanks for your story.
Andrew you are so sweet to share this with us. what a great memory you have to hold forever. My heart is melting now
Well that made me cry... 💜💜💜
@@lma1943 I'm crying too.
Beautiful story !
I'm a railway worker with 43 years service in Ireland working out of Kent Station Cork. This is a great song and is applicable to all Railway men everywhere.
True!
God bless Cork and God bless Ireland. I had the good fortune to visit Sligo a few years ago and compete in the All Ireland Fleadh.
@@timothyscheidler6365 I’m 0:18 qq❤❤❤1qq
2 Thumbs up on that, a very nice attitude for anyone working with the steel ribbons,
the signals, maintenance of way, engines and rolling stock a great industry and career.
My grandfather was a conductor for the B&O out of Baltimore. Didn't know him well. I was barely 8 when he passed. But after my dad also left us... I found all my Granddad's railroad pins with the last being for 60 years of service.
I grew up outside of NOLA, and once rode the City of New Orleans home from grad school in Chicago. This is almost certainly the greatest train song ever written.
I couldn't agree with you more.
that's pretty cool. I'm also from New Orleans but have never been on a train (except to visit). I've always taken planes. But an interesting fact is that when I was really young, I wanted to work on a train (I'm female) but people thought I was crazy. I now work as a psychotherapist but if I had the chance to do everything all over again and would have been able to work on a train, I just might have preferred to take that road in life instead. ♥
I dont know if anyone will actually read my comment so far down the line but this song has always been special to me. My grandfather was a Gandy Dancer for Pennsylvania RailRoad, he even got to see the Hindenburg crash while working one day. He was a small man at only 5'3" but could drive a spike in only 3 swings. I never got to meet him but this song makes me feel a special connection to him somehow. Great video.
I remember my grand dad and mom talking bout the gandy dancers. ❤️
@@dr.cassandrayazzie5100 definitely not a term many people know these days.
Thank you for teaching me a new term. My grandfather was an Italian immigrant in the 1920's and I believe this is what he did for work.
Powerful memories..thanks for sharing your story.
Two "connects." Lived in New Orleans (a "local," but not my main house) for a bit a few years ago. Also, tested some military radios (as a contractor) on the very spot of the Hindenburg crash (by surprise as I did it!) prior to the NOLA stay. All the best!
I'm an engineer for Canadian Pacific out of Chicago, and this song makes me very proud to be a railroader!
Bless your heart, Sir. I just read about CN shutting down service due to the 'protesters' - it makes my blood boil!
Your service is appreciated....sign me, Just a railfan in Phoenix, AZ
@@jessstone7211 I'm in agreement with you Sir. I'm sick and tired of all the protesters who are trying to shift this great Republic further to the left and socialism.
I love this song being sung by Arlo Guthrie. To my way of thinking, his is the best version.
The US is the leading contributor to global warming, along with China and India, and people like you just want to turn a blind eye. When the big waves hit, they won't just take out the oil and coal companies. They'll take everyone. I don't believe in protests, or socialism. I believe in social democracy. But the US does allow freedom of speech. And we DO need to shift away from fossil fuels.
Oops, I'm not practicing what I'm preaching, by being somehow confrontational. I know there are so many layers of reasoning we don't see, clearly. All of us. I guess it's the urgency and complexity of today's world. I'm no expert, but from what I've gathered, this particular global warming cycle has many sources. It's the total effect from methane gas, to hydrocarbons, to CO2, and generally all the combined industrial and personal pollution in the air and water over the past 100-150 years. This warming cycle has warmed the Earth's surface as much in the past 130 years than any of the previous warming cycles, which took 10-20,000 years. Back then, it was just natural CO2 emissions from animals, I guess. Not too much. The Earth was actually beginning a longer 100,000 year cooling trend, when industry reversed the cooling- to warming temps. We're technically in a long cooling cycle. It looks like the pollutants are beating out the further orbiting away from the sun.
Can you tell me how the new PTC system is going? I took the Amtrak from Martinez, Ca to Tacoma, Wa., and it was a beautiful trip! It's so fun. Meeting folks on the train and looking at scenery. And I've had some shorter trips up here in Washington, but there was a derailment in 2017, south of Tacoma. Three passengers were killed, and many injured. The train was going three times the speed limit, which the conductor didn't see. I know the odds of dying in a train wreck are around 500,000 to one. I'm not sure if all Amtrak routes have the PTC controls, or any ATC controls. I saw one report that said the program was to be in effect by 2019. I hope so, because depending on conductors seeing the speed limit signs doesn't thrill me, as a passenger.
Thank you, from Australia. This has to be the best song about America, it's warm and oh so memorable.
It was my honor to have met Steve Goodman, the man who wrote this song. His passing from leukemia in 1984 silenced a wonderful voice, a talented song writer and great human. My thanks to Arlo Guthrie for bringing Steve's song to a wider audience.
Goodman was a musical genius!
Special memory. Thnx for that.
Wonderful song! Such a loss of a talented man. Thank you Arlo for such a beautiful rendition.
@@lindaboyer6036 Arlo Guthrie is not dead.
He also wrote 'You never even call me by my name " for David Allen Coe
My grandfather was a conductor for the Illinois Central for 30 years. He rode this train.
He might have punched my ticket once!
How cool is that! :)
My uncle was, too. My grandfather was an engineer 😊. Railroad families, forever. I wonder if the knew each other?
God Bless your Grandfather! Railroads Built America! Rick D Rumpff, Celina, Ohio USA.
I am an adopted son of America 🇺🇸 for the last 55 years. I miss fifties, sixties, and seventies music, among other things. Most of all, I miss my youth, good health and all that goes along with it.
I am just glad 😊that I got to live a good and fulfilling life in my adopted country, good old U S of A❗️
I'm not an American and my native language isn't even English, but I've visited the United States 11 times, ( between 1996 to 2020 ), and I can totally understand your feelings. I only have good memories of the American people and situations I encountered there. I'm 71 and widowed for ten years now, but I plan to visit the U.S. again in 2025 and I'm really looking forward to it. Wishing you all the best.
😊
I know this might not be a thought u thought.... yet you did live at that time n still have you tube to revisit at your leisure 😊😮😅. I agree with your comments
@@candlelight3232 Dear candlelight, Thanks for your nice comments. Hope you will enjoy many more visits of US❗️
@@cynthiabinder3730 So true Cynthia, I did collect my favorite music in records, then CDs, even 8 track tapes which are all sitting in boxes in my garage. I am glad to be able to watch & listen to all that music on CZcams for sure❗️
@@frequentvisitor4405 Dear @frequentvisitor4405, thank you for YOUR nice comment. Yes, all the Americans I met were very nice to me and I think, not just because I'm an older lady, (LOL). I always travel alone since my husband died and I love the endless freedom and the challenge of being responsible only for myself....and I love planning and learning something new....Why not have a ride with the "City of New Orleans" train ? You gave me the inspiration for this ... Thank you and all the best for you.
I know a american guy here in hamburg/germany. He arrived years ago this country and lost his two legs by an acciddent with a u-train. he walks always so so very friendly and lovely and cool with prothetic legs very slowly in the city of hamburg, years later he is afraid to go alone in the u-train underground, one day I´ll protect him and walk together with him in the underground and drove with him 3 stations near to his home, and he told me his story...not angry, no hate, only friendly , lovely, smiling, while my heart inside is breaking....so: I cried, because I had no shoes, than I met a man, who had no legs. sorry for my terrible english
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤thank you and bless you
Mama used to say that to me as a child. She taught me and my sisters gratitude for everything in life...never take anything or anyone for granted! Thank you for your heartwarming message!
This song always literally brings me to tears. It's a reminder of simple, beautiful times in our wonderful country that has sadly been divided by hatred and violence. So sad, but we're still the best country on the planet. Hope we can achieve peace and love again.
Sanford, this is a song which does remind us of simpler and happier times in this country - and I, too, hold out for the forces of peace and love to prevail, my friend.
Jim Crow.
We are the best country on the planet. But apparently, the US Women's Soccer Team doesn't think so. It is the left who are dividing the country and causing all this hate and violence.
im coming from UK next spring and gonna ride this train from Memphis to New Orleans..your still a great country
@@gizhou3034 Stop trolling. Jim Crow was abolished well over half a century ago and since blacks have enjoyed more rights than whites in this country. You don't like it here you are free to go. Bye.
This song is so nostalgic. I remember being a child in the seventies, sitting on the porch step one morning listening to this song on the radio. It felt like a much simpler time.
It was
AM radio in the station wagon with the family.
My Grandfather also worked on the St.Fe RR. He fell off the engine while signaling an on coming train. While being operated on for hip injury, his heart stopped. The Dr. Said it was like 'a bolt out of the blue'. Unknown cause. I was seven. I've never heard this song without rembering the trains whistling long while passing by the graveyard when the services were going on. In salute to him. I Love trains! That was sixty years ago this November...
My mother and herr friends would sing this song sometimes right at bed time when I was A child 💯 miss you Moma💙✌️❗
Steve was a superb story writer and Arlo is a great story teller!
In 1944 my mom rode the train all the way from Nashville, TN to San Francisco to marry my dad whose ship was docked there for a few days during the War. Can’t hear this song without thinking of that. Arlo Guthrie captures everything Steve Goodman intended to convey when he wrote it.
This song is Americana at its best. I always tear up when I listen to it. A once proud and busy railroad, dwindling down to bankruptcy. Passenger numbers fell beneath the floor due to air travel. No one wanted to ride old, worn out coaches for a day when a jet could get you there in hours. People in a hurry and not pausing to appreciate everything around you. The ICC killed the railroads with rules written in the 1880’s that desperately needed updating. By the time Jimmy Carter stepped in, it was too late. Many of these classic lines were destitute with no money to repair decades of abuse. Very sad.
The passenger trains suffered greatly when the freight trains were given priority on the rail routes.
Back in the mid 80's I took the Lakeshore limited outa Boston,Mass to Chicago to go to
a model train meet. Yeah trains I love'em, one sees more of America that way
It is a pity that people do not think of the journey as a part of the whole time away rather than a chore to be got over as quickly as possible.
SAD AND Memorable; makes it tolerable, yes ?
May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo?
I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON.
We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do!
(Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG!
RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others!
Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG!
LyndaFaye
"The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical.
"Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp.
LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
@@lyndafaye6748 Thank you for what you have written here, it is great to have these fond memories. Thank you for bringing this to the people.
9 years retired, engineer for Conrail and Norfolk Southern. The best railroad song ever written. I could listen to it every day.
34 1/2 years in passenger and freight service.
This should be the Official Railroad Song of the USA!
It never gets old
My grandma’s father and brothers all worked for the NY Central. She was born in 1884.
Well God Bless You Cheeky Monkey, for being a big part of the country's history- railroad people are a special breed and we still need them. Enjoy your retirement- build a model train environment.
@@elisalepore7231 forget the flowers in your hair and take a pooper scooper.
Steve Goodman’s best song. What a talent he was. RIP Steve, you are missed. Every time the Cubs win I think of you.
Only when they win? Gee.
Wish someone could send me back to the 70's ! Can't take all my childhood hero's passing it blows
IT DOES!
Just for the record...Arlo Guthrie is alive and well at 76 years of age on this day in 2024....
Amen to that.
...hocus pocus...
We'll keep a GOOD THOUGHT for this!@@puffinbilly6826
One of the best songs ever written.
Four generations of our family worked on the railway! This song really holds a lot of meaning and memories for me.
SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete !
May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo?
I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON.
We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do!
(Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG!
RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others!
Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG!
LyndaFaye
"The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical.
"Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp.
LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
I 81 and remember on the great great great great music and I grew up with. In my 20s I was a radio announcer and love the music that day later became a doctor and never lost my love for the music of the 50s 60s 70s and 80s
This song paints such a beautiful picture. I introduced this song to my kids and they all love it. I know they will pass this song along to their kids. Thats what folk music does. :)
That's really agood idea ... I hope, a lot more people should do that. This song is worth keeping for eternity.
85 years later, as a small boy I can still remember laying in bed at night and waiting for the trains to go by about a mile from home, some from those lonely sounding steam whistles and later the moan of those air horns as the big diesels left for places far away, lonely sounds at night. The steam whistles are long gone, but the big diesels still send their music out over the rails. Wonderful memories.
I hear them at night too and love the sound... nothing like it 😊👍
The train here is about a block away and it does sound beautiful.
I too was fortunate to have lived for a few years near passing railroad tracks. I could hear the faint, practically melodic sound of the horn as it disappeared into the night. For some reason, it was mesmerizing. Years later, I still miss it.
Well I have 1 of'em a Lunkenheimer 3 chimer all brass and takes an inch an a 1/4 pipe,
I fired it off a boiler owned by the New England steam and wireless museum in R.I.
dayum that whistle sounded good.
Well Fred, I have the whistle and the bell the bell has a pneumatic slammer in it as well
as being able to pull the upper frame to ring and a Lunkenheimer 3 chime whistle I
fired off the factory boiler, collecting r.r. stuff is kool.
I consider this the greatest folk song ever written. The great Steve Goodman.
I saw an interview with Steve Goodman about a year before he passed. He was A GREAT TALENT!
Greatest train song ever.
Sadly the days that this story refers to are gone forever, replaced by garbage! I know you'll all say I'm living in the past, but so what!??! There were some good days there, and you have to admit there aren't an awfully lot anymore. As maqny of us face the ends of our lives, these days will not exist anymore and that is such a shame!!
Would you have believed the world would change as much as it has in our lives?
590 dislikes? Are you guys effin' *CRAZY* ?!!
How any sane person with half the brains God gave a squirrel, (and any sense of musical taste), can dislike this song is a mystery to me.
Arlo Guthrie has (had?) more talent in his pinky fingernail than most of today's "musicians" have in their entire bodies.
This song is a classic and my hat's off to the creator of this video. Tireless work and patience have paid off with one of the best videos I have seen.
Jim Harris - well said, I like that "Half the brains of a squirrel", mind if I pinch it? 🙄
@@alvindimes4729
I "pinched it" myself, so go ahead. 😉
Though the correct expression is ". . .half the brains God gave a squirrel"
There is no new music today, when Cher released Believe with autotune she unwittingly destroyed new music. That software turns 1/2 Squirrel brains into million sellers.....
As a squirrel, I find that comment extremely abusive! 😠
Idiots.... how could they say they don't like it. Just keep quiet.....
My great grandfather was an engineer on the Illinois Central, he died on the locomotive in the 50's I carried on the tradition in the family on the railroad, thank you for this beautiful video, thank you so much for this beautiful song.
Wow! I guess I’m old for me it was my dad
I always liked this song......I hope the people of New Orleans can hold it close to their hearts and love it lots......it's really good !
We do!
The City of New Orleans is STILL IN OPERATION
Rode it two days ago ! Amtrak ridership is way up.
Yes, but it's nothing like what it used to be.
It sure went to hell though.
bet the legend still makes the rails hum and clatter whenever the moon stand right
My husband is an engineer for the Union Pacific in Los Angeles. He has been there 44 years. He is the best the u.p. has. I am very proud of him.
You should be. Thank him for me!
Just retired after 41 years with Southern Railway/Norfolk Southern. Very proud of it! I hired out just after Amtrak had taken over what was left of the individual railroads passenger trains. It was the end of an era, and that’s what this song showcases! Southern still sent our paychecks out of Atlanta on “the Crescent”, which was their last passenger train. Amtrak had just taken over the Crescent, but our checks where still sent on it. Great song, great video! There’s an old bluegrass song that has the words “ if I die a railroad man, plant me ‘neath the ties, so I can hear ol’ 92, when she comes rollin by”! I understand!!!
u do realyze arlo never did a lick of work like your family diddd
@@hmackie6823 Arlo's not the important one here; he's just the singer in a fake cowboy hat. Steve Goodman wrote the great lyrics and the music. Don't know if Steve ever worked with his hands, but I think that's more likely than Arlo
@@hmackie6823 who cares
Awesome! I feel love and extreme nostalgia every time I hear this song!! Hip hip Hooray for Arlo Guthrie! Yes, I'm proud to say he's my native Son! Lol ..💖
This is part of my play list. Love it!!!!
I’m a member of a senior chorus in Ballston Spa,and to my great delight I will be soloing on this song at one of our luncheons. Our chorus director asked us to list our favorite songs and I immediately sent him this one. I will be delighted to sing it for my fellow seniors. I hope they enjoy it as much as I do. Wish me luck!!
Elizabeth Delgado
I hope all goes well, you couldn't have picked a better song.
Luck to uou
My Grandpa (Frederick "Fritz" Mayer) retired from the Illinois Central Railroad after 50 years of loyal service to the IC in 1963, and later in his IC career was the locomotive engineer for the City of New Orleans for part of its route in Southern Illinois. I love your tribute here to those passionate men and women who as you so eloquently state that 'toil day and night providing safe transportation services' by rail for us. Thank you for your magnificent tribute to them.
you mean one engineer didn't drive the whole route ?
@@stefanomagaddino6868 It’s a 19 hour trip between New Orleans and Chicago.
@stefanomagaddino6868 At one time regulations for engineers were very stringent-and outdated. The were based on miles and not time. At one point, there was an equilibrium but locomotives became faster and more powerful. An engineer could produce a days work in a few hours.
@@ShelleyVideo SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete !
May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo?
I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON.
We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do!
(Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG!
RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others!
Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG!
LyndaFaye
"The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical.
"Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp.
LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
Never been on a long distance train ride which I know have much better sleeping arrangements for those long rides than Greyhound which was one mode of traveling that was more familiar to me.
I remember this song being played in a supermarket here in Oregon. When it came to the chorus, I could hear a lot of people softly singing along. Rest in peace Steve Goodman.
It's one of those songs that makes you want to sing along every time you hear it regardless of where you are.😃
That's cool Kent... thanks for sharing.... Eric Underwood class of 81 Downey High School California
Kent: Hello fellow Oregonian!
@@stuartadamsrailfanningvideos hello to both of you fellow Oregonians!
Steve Goodman?
Thank you to all the railroad men and woman. My Uncle, Hank, was a railroad man for the Union Pacific Railroad. A Brakeman. He was so old. He may have fed the firebox with coal or firewood when they ran off of steam. Thank you America for all you have given us.
Once more my heart sheds tears. But I am so happy with my memories. At 77 I am ready to finish this journey.
Thank you. May you and yours stay well and prosper.
It's hard to grasp how I feel listening to this.
.. It connects me to the ground under my feet, the people around me, and the land I live in.
Don't keep your head down on your cellphone. This world still has a lot of beauty you'll miss out on.
My maternal great-grandfather, Clarence Scott, was train engineer for the Pennsylvania Railroad during the early 20th Century. In the video it was nice to see the train engineer driving the train; it gave me an idea what my grandfather did on the railroad.
The Air Force stationed me at Chanute AFB (Rantoul, Illinois) for two years in the 70s, I always feel a connection to this song, its all good
Went to "A" school there in the "83 and always loved to see the Iliinois Central Central pass by the base during PT on Friday afternoons.
THIS FILM AND THIS TRAIN IS SO LOADED WITH MEMORIES FOR ME, I CANT WATCH WITHOUT GETTING TEARY EYED. MY EXPERIENCE BEGAN AS A CHILD WATCHING THIS TRAIN FROM A WOODEN FOOTBRIDGE IN MATTOON ILLINOIS, AND VOWING TO RIDE IT AWAY FROM THAT GOD FORSAKEN TOWN TO THE BIG CITY.
What a wonderful old song!
I am 69 years old, and i still watch trains
How are you? So sorry for the infringe on your privacy. Beautiful song
Me too!😀😀
I'm over 70 and don't wear a watch or have a smart phone. I live just across a swamp from the railroad and I measure time by the train whistle.
Hey!, I'm 78 and I still PLAY with trains. I am in California and have supervision via video. Courtesy of my six year old Grandson in Melbourne Australia.
Never tire of this classic... the wheels on the rails, like a lullaby.
I was rocked to sleep by Amtrak trains going cross country under the stars. thought of this song and you're exactly right. And a wonderful video.
I am a Locomotive Engineer for Metro North in NY and God willing will retire in 4 weeks. Being an Engineer was my childhood dream. Its so true, my sons and my daughter have rode their fathers magic carpet made from steel, something they will never forget. My thanks to God for a great memorable 24 years on the rails.
Happy retirement
Thank you. I'm a man without a train now.
God bless you and yours. I grew up living in hearing distance of the train horns and I still do; love to barely hear them in the distance and used to love to ride passenger trains, especially Amtrak's Crescent. Not sure how long they'll survive, and service has unfortunately been downgraded by management.
How can a young man get a job on the railroad my grandson is 20 and we go to video trains in fla every chance we get it would be a dream come true for him he would do any job connected to rail
Used to take the railroad from New York City back to Hartford to visit my folks when I began attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1969. Always loved taking the train as opposed to a bus, loved the views out the windows and the sounds and motions of the ride. Best way to travel in those days.
Elizabeth Delgado
Art & Design
"Feel the wheels rumblin' 'neath the floor..." Nothing like riding on a great train....Nothing else like it!
For five years I road the City of New Orleans, but in the opposite direction. What memories this magnificent video brings back. In the cavern of Central Station the conductor in his deep-throated sound of the deep South: Now departing on track number 9 the City of New Orleans, northbound for Dyersburg, Fulton, Cairo, Carbondale, Centralia, Effingham, Kankakee, sixty-eight street and the Chicago terminal. All aboard! God, the memories. The beer flew and the lies exaggerated our life.
Arlo did this song justice. The piano is perfect, the lyrics divine. "This train has got the dissapearing railroad blues", beautiful!
But Arlo did not write it.
with the Mississippi darkness rollin' down to the sea
Funny, I always heard it as "this train has got to disappear in railroad blues".
It was a disappearing railroad 50 years ago. And yet me wife and I are booked on it for a trip next month. Glad some things never change
@@mafirearmsafety Arlo told the story in a concert a few years back. Something like this. " After a concert I was sitting at the bar having a beer. A short guy came up and wanted me to listen to his song. I said I don't like songs. I don't even like my own songs. Buy me a beer and I'll listen as long as the beer lasts. The song was City of New Orleans and the guy was Steve Goodman." As close as I can remember what Arlo said. Never took credit for the song for himsellf.
Amtrak has resurrected 'The City of New Orleans'. They invited Mr. Guthrie on the first time it ran. He really enjoyed himself on the train ride, from what I heard.
I love this song… brings back memories
Who said time travel is impossible? This song takes me back to when I was a teenager in a second, absolutely love it.
Well said & well put ! Mr Peabody (owner & operator of the "Wayback Machine") I am sure would be the first to agree with you !!
Steve Millers album Book of Dreams and I whoooshed back to 1977 Stacy's 🏠! With her sisters Camaro parked in the driveway! Instantly!
Eric Underwood Class of 81 Downey High school CA ✌️
@@jamescoleakaericunderwood2503 SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete !
May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo?
I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON.
We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do!
(Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG!
RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others!
Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG!
LyndaFaye
"The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical.
"Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp.
LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
@@lyndafaye6748
Hey! Sounds like a fun play you're putting together!
Long Island huh! What part of California did you end up in?
Hopefully Southern California Beaches.... that's where we hung out alot... Huntington beach pier and Newport CA not RI...
I worked out at Dulles airport in 95 I drove Hwy 50 just to see how lonely it really is...I don't remember seeing another car the whole time from Nevada till I got to Salt Lake ... coming down our of the Nevada Mountains you get a sense of loneliness when you see that long stretch of road in front of you ..then it hits you when you're down in the valley driving...ya know what happened just then....a lone Bald Eagle flew over the cab of my F-250 truck and I pulled over ( Because I have a thing for Eagles!) I walked back the way the Eagle flew and I came across a barbed wire the upon a little hill when I got to the fence I was taken aback because there was this huge lake that I couldn't see from the highway with what I thought was a light dusting of snow ...so I walked down towards the water and came to a stop ... because I got that feeling I was being WATCHED it was very strong....so I panned slowly to my left first....HOLY SHIT! THERE WAS ABOUT 50 BALD EAGLES STANDING IN THE SHALLOWS STARING AT ME!
so I slowly pan to my right...
HOLY SHIT! ABOUT 50 MORE ALL STARING AT ME!
it wasn't snow ...it was Bald Eagles! I stood in pure awe for a time then bowed and went on my way!
I have to disagree with you on the Art/Music song thing...
" The Mona Lisa" I'm an artist and my medium is Terrazzo and terrazzo has been around for centuries....Oh I went to Downey High school with James Hetfield of Metallica....
He used to walk around Downey High with his head bobbing up and down playing music as he walked!
🤷✌️🙋❤️🇺🇸
Eric Underwood Class of 81 Downey High school CA ✌️
I was just a boy when I heard this song. Yes the days were hard but life was much simpler than today. Technology gave us convenience, but ugliness came with it.
Well put! I have ridden The City of New Orleans (Amtrak's version) several times. It is nice but doesn't compare with the original Illinois Central or yesteryears' rail travel.
There has always been ugliness as well as beauty in life. It was easier for people to ignore ugliness prior to 24/7 technology.
how so true!!!!!
@@amtrakbasketmaker6404 I just recently discovered videos made by riders on the Amtrak trains including the City of New Orleans. Coming into New Orleans the train runs parallel with Interstate 10 (?) which is elevated above the water for a good many miles. The last scene in this video shows that interstate.
@@sharonnelson3397 Mornin' I have riden the City several times mostly north from Fulton, KY. One trip was south to catch the Sunset Limited out of NOL but we were late and they bused us from McComb, MS to LaFayette, LA. The bus driver was a born and raised Cajun and kept us all in stitches. What a hoot! I remember we drove over the Huey P. Long bridge because it reminded me of my dad. Though he was born and raised in Boston he had a thing for the history of Huey P. Long's "career".
I'm a former locomotive engineer and I love this song. It makes me choke up at the end. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks
ripper back
Thanks for moving it on down the line.
I have the greatest respect, for what you did, sir.
I love this song too. My son is going to be an engineer. Im so proud of him.
I’m a conductor for CSX for the last 23 years. Love this song and how perfect this video is. Great job!
That's really cool I'm a big fan of trains model railroads and real ones ever since I was a kid 😉 I'm in Florida I remember when it was Seaboard coastline trains through here then CSX
I have a few vague memories of my maternal Grandfather (and some old photos) of him. He worked on the NKP for 41 years. I have a pic of him with me, as a toddler, on one of the last runs he made thru Lima, Ohio before retiring in 1959, as a conductor. Unfortunately, he passed a short time later of lung cancer (too many Chesterfields) before I ever had a chance to know him and hear his railroad stories. I would have loved to hear them.
What a work of Art (deco) this train is...sleek and beautiful!
Greetings from Australia
Happy New Year..❤
@@avengernemesis7990 Greetings from California USA
Happy New Year!
My Dad was over there Adelaide, Rockhampton getting patched up in the hospital there after the battle of Buna/ Sanananda Dec 1942✌️🇦🇺🇺🇸
Some songs are just impossible to not like and this is one song that really deserves a video attachment. It's just so perfect. It speaks FAR beyond what we only hear and imagine while listening. This song is hardcore part of people's lives and It certainly doesn't hurt that I love trains too. ANYONE who has traveled the world, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, Germany, Australia, France, India(!) and so many others, and experienced it through the windows of very many trains understands immediately. It's a love affair that too few understand or will ever discover. Their loss. And America threw them away...for cars. Nothing more need be said.
I loved this song the first time I heard it as a teen. Now I'm hedging on 70 and this is still one of my favorite songs. Great music endures--and this is a great song.
I don't know why but this song is just so badass. The best version is the studio version by Arlo Guthrie. Steve Goodman did a good job writing the song too. It does something to the listener.
I agree
I’m in Australia and have only been on an American train once, in 2017. Washington DC to NYC. Loved it, loved the Red Caps. I’ve always loved this song, it captures the spirit of train travel perfectly. ❤
Beautiful, beautiful Lyrics brings a tear to my eye ;" Ride their fathers magic carpet made of steel"!
The video of the Illinois Central trains is fantastic. This is a beautiful piece of work.
As someone who rode the passenger rails for over 30 years, may I salute Dave Goodman for writing the consummate railroad ballad, Arlo Guthrie for his perfect rendition and, especially, AK Dian for the stunning film accompaniment. Well done all!
...this song is the same today as it was years ago..beautiful..
My dad worked for the Rock Island RR. We lived across a gravel road from the tracks and heard this rhythm of the wheels and the whistle blowing as it neared the crossing. When I hear this song I have to sing along, she'd a tear, and smile.
Thanks, Arlo.
My dad worked for the Rock Island too. He was a B and B Carpenter. Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific. Ain't many of us around anymore that remember the old Rock Island line.
My great grandfather did too. They lived in Orion, Illinois.
When Arlo sang this song America was already truly great.
looks like no one is watching this lately xcept you. so i will post my comment here: Goddam awesome vid work so perfect. and i rode this train twice one way.
thanks, bro'.
And now it's going to hell! Shame.
You're oh so right!
@@xy23z5 : a real SHAME !
Except for the Pricks that spit on my fellow Soldiers who came back from Vietnam.
I work for Amtrak Mechanical here in Chicago goin on 22yrs. & prior that had 6yrs. with BNSF Suburban. This song 🎶 warms my heart & yes I see the “City Of New Orleans” equipment everyday goin & comin from Union Station 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽 !!!
72 years old and this brings back a memory of my Dad and Uncle taking me from Champaign, Il to Chicago to see the Cubs (who were terrible then). I am pretty sure we went on the City of New Orleans. This was around 1961 I think. I remember the stop in Kankakee.
Yes i can still remember all those years ago, 1963 late november traveling on this train from Baton Rouge to New Orleans , same time JFK was shot in Dallas, I turned 80 last month, and i like this song a lot, // Old good songs never dies..*
Truck driver for many years, big salute, to all you railmen, and truckers, all who hail freight, and keep this STILL great country moving
This song is not just a classic, but one of the best folk songs ever! Arlo Guthrie sings perfectly about the journry of the train from Chicago to New Orleans as it travels the land of the Mississippi River, and all the peace and productive life that involves it. In other words, it's like a perfect Norman Rockwell song.
hell of tale and melody
It's also one of the best railroading songs ever!!!!
Saw Arlo twice once in Albuquerque in 76 and again in South Bend IN. About 97ish. Icon like his dad.
This was done at ONE time by the GREAT Willie Nelson, as well!
It always makes me smile when he sings, "Good Morning America, how are you?"
Best version of this song - Arlo's arrangement and voice works best, coupled with your visuals.
A truly iconic tune sung by a true national treasure, Mr Arlo Guthrie ! Thank you for sharing this gem with us !
You could say Arlo Guthrie owns this one, as nobody quite gets it with the same feel. Love the imagery, lyrics, and melody. A great song indeed. Thanks for sharing.
Several years ago, I found a Steve Goodman version of the song performed live. As good as Steve's studio version and Arlo's cover are, this live version IMO really captured the spirit of the song. And yes, there have been so many horrible covers of 'City Of New Orleans' done over the years (at one point, it was almost obligatory for any artist who did railroad songs or folk ballads to cover this one) - like Johnny Cash singing 'And the graveyards Filled with rusted automobiles."
Johnny Cash did an excellent job .
I still remember the Verse after not hearing this song for a long time😊
Goodbye America, it was nice while you lasted
😢
This song is full of soul. A rare & transcendent musical piece.
My Dad was a railroad engineer for Detroit and Mackinac. I'm very proud of him. I now live near Chicago.
Guy Thomas Christopher was an Illinois Central Gulf Switch engine foreman and conductor and he said he helped Steve Goodman write this song.
As a New Orleans kid I rode with my parents on the city of New Orleans several times up to see my grandparents. Great times.
Beautiful song accompanied by a beautiful film!!!That train livery was really something else!
This song reminds me a healthy AMERICA and a strong AMERICA. Lets keep it that way.
I absolutely love this song, one of my all-time favorites. It reminds me of a couple of top-class trains in South Africa in my young days: The Blue Train, (Expensive, mainly for tourists), and the Trans-Karoo Express, which I travelled on several times. The wonder of breakfast in the dining car, seeing the Texas-like Karoo passing by and the last two hours before reaching Cape Town - magic!
This song reminds me of my former hometown of Kankakee,IL! As I was born there 65 years ago! Been there once in 2008 and the town's still there ; I didn't see nor hear the old train whistle though. Most folks I meet never heard of my hometown of Kankakee, Illinois, however; when I mention this 🎵 '-their eyes light up and they recognize the song immediately ! Thanks, CZcams you made my day and an unknown town famous in this little song ditty !
Sadly you're more likely to hear gunshots there now. City of New Orleans crashed in Kankakee. It was terrible.
I miss all the ways we were raised up on. Most enjoyable time. A lot of railroad songs out there. This was the best one.🚂🚆. Love those trains
We once had the greatest rail system in the world.😢
These lyrics by Steve Goodman are haunting and the tone in Arlo Guthrier's voice is perfect. No other singer captures the emotions in this so so well. VERY special thanks to A K Dian for the wonderful video images.....your effort is flawless. Heavens angels could not have done better. I listen and watch this song again and again as I do my computer work.....this song and your images put me into my happy place of total peace. Sadly this song reminds me where we once were and where we are now. I am getting more and more sentimental with each year.
My uncle worked for Illinois Central for 48 years and he was the engineer on the City of New Orleans from Riceful Kentucky to Memphis Tennessee three times a week for 25 years. He was very proud of his job!!
Amen brother
Well said, my thoughts exactly. I can't stop listening and watching this. I love it.
Oh you’re only saying that because you know that, yes, you are correct,sir! props darwinxke
Totally agree.
As a kid my Aunt and I always rode the train Houston Texas to Southern Colorado for years. I remember the wonderful
ham sandwiches they sold on the train. As a kid I always lived near a railroad track. The sound of the trains running put into a
good nights sleep. To this day I love hearing trains.
I am English but love this song. I used to live near a railway and loved listening to night trains ❤
I hike the Appalachian Trail (Eastern USA) I hear trains frequently, love the sound. 😉
My favorite line from the song is "Through the Mississippi darkness rollin' down to the sea".
Absolutely superb song and brill piano playing such fulfilling words and music with a beginning middle and end which leaves you fully satisfied and wanting to hear it all over again Thanks Steve(RIP) and Arlo. Love it to bits.
This was a Steve Goodman song. I picked him up to take him home after his trip on The City of New Orleans which he had so anticipated for weeks. Driving toward Lake Michigan on Lakeshore Dr, he told us he had written a song while on that last run. He sang a couple verses and the chorus and asked us what we thought... 2 yrs later it was all over the radio with everyone thinking Arlo had written it. But I'll never forget Stevie in the backseat, with his bright eyes, singing that song he wrote while on that last voyage of the City of New Orleans. Memorable. RIP Steve and love to Nancy!
OMG. That is so INCREDIBLE!! You my friend were very blessed by knowing him I am 😃😊
I was real glad they gave a big credit to Steve with his picture at the end of this video. I first heard Steve in '73, and he of course played this and told the story of how Arlo came to play it. Steve was a great songwriter and performer whose life was cut way too short. Thanks for your wonderful story! RIP Steve Goodman! (Have you given up on politics?)
My Grandmother, Louise Wilhelmsen Hodges actually wrote most of this song long before she met Steve on the train. She worked as a telephone operator for the ICRR and rode the train every week from McComb MS to New Orleans and visited many other cities as well. The fare was free for her. Steve happened to hear her singing on the train, which she frequently did. She was a local New Orleans actress and singer/songwriter. He told her he was a songwriter and they sat together for a couple of hours and tweaked the lyrics. The melody was entirely hers and they collaborated on the lyrics. She had ridden the train for decades and knew the types of passengers, the locations, the mothers with their babes asleep, the rusted automobiles. Steve told her he believed the song would be a hit and asked her what type of compensation she wanted if it was recorded. Granny, who was nearly 70 years old at that time, said she needed no compensation other than to hear it on the radio. Steve had her sign a paper sating that she would be paid no compensation! Long story. There are more details, but she indeed started the whole mesmerizing song about the romance of riding the great City of New Orleans. There are details about her in the Railroad Museum in McComb, Mississippi!!!
I went to college with Steve. His live version is the best but this is very close.
What a beautiful recollection; possibly some luck, too , yes ?
SOME things in life should not be ALLOWED to become obsolete !
May, 2023; Many of us are coming back to LISTEN to that 'song that never dies!" Having been born in the city of Rock Island, when we used to sing this song, we'd substitute the city "Ke-Wan-ee" for Kankakee ha ha. We rode the Burlington back then, and had to drive to Galesburg to get it, to travel to California. Surely we, myself and some of my classmates from Moline High School sang this for hours, as one of our hootenanny favorites. (Jim Anderson? Where are you now ?) And Jack Petit, our class president DROVE us to Galesburg! Yes, the Rock Island Lines were a pretty good line , too! My grandfather was an engineer , I think on the Rock Island Lines---He' drove it from a little town titled " Barstow/or Joslin" guess they re-named it Like to know from an commenters, if they'd ever heard of that little country town, near Geneseo?
I used to have a "continual debate" with my college roommate who was a artist; The question, " Which lasts longer, a painting, or a song.?" I'm not sure to this day, who actually won the debate...but as we see painters and song-writers disappear, I think we have to admit, it' s THE SONG THAT LIVES ON.
We were trying to assemble a children's musical, wherein the main character, who jumps up on stage to play her little cello with "The First Four Presidents", and one of us gave dialogue to the little player; she says to Thomas Jefferson "I Can't play this music-it's too old!" Jefferson and Washington laugh at her and shout "Honey...music doesn't grow OLD! People do!
(Yes, it's a comedy!) but that line reminds me so much of THIS SONG!
RIP Arlo Guthrie-and Steve Goodman, and so many others!
Thank you so much for TRUTH in SONG!
LyndaFaye
"The Mississippi Valley Lady" the song and the musical.
"Friends, Love Songs and Hearthaches@Bandcamp.
LyndaFayeSmusic@Yahoo.
I saw arlo in Phoenix 50 years ago. Still the best concert I've seen.❤
my favorite line was; 'Obie? Did you think that I was going to hang myself for littering?'
Classic from childhood..use sing it Sunday am up in Canada as a boy....Loved singing loud..
Good Mornin' America how are yah...just a kid , Summer '72❤
Thank you! Arlo..song 4 life.