if you want to take the easy way out, you can just put a capo on the 3rd fret and play chords for Arlo Guthrie's version. it sounds like thats what Cash did, but sang an octive i am going off of memory here, don't have the song to listen to, so email any mistakes valiant_diomedes@yahoo.com. thanks! here are the bar chords (i think, i am still learning)if you don't feel like messing a capo: Bb F Gm D# Dm C F7 G7 E# (?) e-------1-----3-----------5------------1-----3--------------| B-3-----1-----3-----8-----6------5-----4-----6------10------| G-3-----2-----3-----8-----7------5-----2-----4------10------| D-3-----3-----5-----8-----7------5-----1-----3------10------| A-1-----3-----5-----6-----5------3-----3-----5------8-------| E-------1-----3------------------------1-----3--------------| Song: City of New Orleans written by: Steve Goodman as performed by: Johnny Cash Bb F Bb Riding on the City of New Orleans Gm Eb Bb Illinois Central Monday morning rail Bb F Bb Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders Gm F Bb Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail. Gm Dm All along the south bound odyssey, the train pulls out of Kenkakee F C Rolls along past houses farms and fields Gm Dm Passing trains that have no name, freight yards of old black men F F7 Bb And graveyards of rusted automobiles. Chorus: Eb E# Bb Good morning America, how are you? Gm Eb Bb Say, don't you know me, I'm your native son. Bb F Gm G7 I'm a train they call the City of New Orleans Eb E# Bb I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done. Verse: Bb F Bb Dealing card games with the old men in the club car Gm Eb Bb Penny a point ain't noone keeping score Bb F Bb Pass the paper bag but hold the bottle Gm F Bb Feel the wheels rumbling 'neath the floor Gm Dm And the sons of Pullman porters, and the sons of engineers F C Ride their father's magic carpets made of steel Gm Dm Mother with her babes asleep, rocking to the gentle beat F F7 Bb And the rhythm of the rails is all they feel. ::Chorus:: Bb F Bb Nightime on the City of New Orleans Gm Eb Bb Changing cars in Memphis, Tennessee Bb F Bb Half way home we'll be there by morning Gm F Bb through the Mississippi darkness rolling down to the sea. Gm Dm and all the towns and people seem to fade into a bad dream F C And the steel rail still ain't heard the news Gm Dm The conductor sings his songs again, the passagers will please refrain F F7 Bb This train got the disappearing railroad blues. Chorus: Eb E# Bb Good night America, How are you? Gm Eb Bb Say, don't you know me, I'm your native son. Bb F Gm G7 I'm the train they call the City of New Orleans Eb E# Bb I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done.