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City of New Orleans, Arlo or Willie


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Just happened to hear Arlo doing city of New Orleans on the radio so I had to pull up Willies version and play that next, Even though I like Arlos version I think Willie puts a little more sadness, loss and soul into the song. I like Willies version better

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Same here.

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Either, both! Although I rode mostly Burlington and Northwestern passenger trains as a kid and into my teens, and am an ardent model railroader, I can identify with "The City of New Orleans"!  As a kid in the '40's and '50's I went to school with a Steve Goodman in Chicago, I doubt it was the same person. Just conincidance...maybe... RIP.

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Great song. Great singers.  No need to listen to only one.  All of them enrich my listening pleasure.  
 

But if I had to pick one...

 

Willie.

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I listened to several versions and here is my take.

 

In the video I posted of Goodman, the lyrics seem rushed and a little forced.

 

Arlo's and Johnny Cash's versions are pretty good.

 

The version the Highwaymen sing and the version with Cheryl Crow are meh.

 

The version Willie sings alone is my favorite.  Something about the harmony generated by the instruments coupled with how Willie sings the lyrics makes me want to crank the volume and get lost in the song. 

 

 

 

 

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Mary and I road the train. Got on Amtrak in Jefferson City.  In St. Louis somewhere we got on one car that was switched out and hooked to another engine.  Then to Centralia, Illinois where it was coupled in with City of New Orleans.  There on to New Orleans in a sleeping compartment.  Supper and bottle of wine included. Got to see a lot of nasty parts of towns we went through.   Reverse trip back. 

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As one that lived 12 miles from Kankakee, rode the IC trains. The Kankakee Station has an area set aside for a small scale model layout running to and from Kankakee, they play the Arlo version of the song and request from listeners of the local radio station seems to favor Arlo also.

Myself, I like both Willie and Arlo's versions.

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