City of New Orleans (song)

For the Amtrak train this song is about, please see City of New Orleans. For the City, see New Orleans, Louisiana.

City of New Orleans is a folk song written by Steve Goodman. Goodman got the idea while traveling on the eponymous train on a visit to his wife's family's house. He performed the song for Arlo Guthrie in the Quiet Knight, a bar in Chicago, and Guthrie agreed to add it to his repertoire. The song proved a hit for Guthrie in 1972, and is now more closely associated with him despite that Goodman performed it until his death in 1984. The song has also been covered by Willie Nelson, John Denver, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, The Seldom Scene, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and others.

The song describes a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans in bittersweet and nostalgic terms.

In 1972, the music of the song was taken to build a French adaptation known as Salut les amoureux by Joe Dassin. It was a huge success.

In 1975, when ABC was preparing a news show to air, it took the title, "Good Morning America" from the chorus of "City of New Orleans."

"City of New Orleans" won Steve Goodman a posthumous Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1984 for Willie Nelson's version.

In September 2005, Jimmy Buffett performed the song at Wrigley Field as a tribute to Hurricane Katrina victims. The concert was the first non-baseball concert at Wrigley Field. In October 2006, guitarist John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers performed the song during the band's set at the Voodoo Music Festival in New Orleans.