A video with Johnny Cash [8D] singing of the City of New Orleans. [tup] [:D]
Click on the below address and you should get there.
http://www.videocodezone.com/videos/j/johnny_cash/city_of_new_orleans.html
If this has already been posted, forgive the duplication.
Jon
wow! i watched it over and over.it brought tears to my eyes.
Too bad they don’t tell you when that was recorded. Johnny looked a bit young there.
i’ve been a Johnny Cash fan since the 70’s but i have to say that wasn’t his best work , the song doesn’t really suit his style (or vice versa)
it was interesting to see though , thanks for the link
Johnny Cash’s uncle was an engineer for the COTTON BELT. The uncle used to give him cab rides when Johnny was a little fella in the early '30s. The house where Johnny Cash was born in Kingsland, Arkansas was next to the COTTON BELT mainline. Kingsland is just South of Rison if you look for it on a map. If you can find it give a listen to “Ridin on the Cotton Belt” as Johnny Cash relates in song his father’s hobo days.
Couldn’t be much before the early/mid 70’s since that’s when the song was written. It’s starting to become a “who HASN’T done that song” kind of thing. Gotta say, for all the versions I have, I never knew Johnny Cash did it too.
All that train riding probably explains his signature playing style.
–Randy
Yes, the late Johnny Cash and the plaintive tone of the lyric, “Good Morning America, how are you?” And a name train with passenger count/car you could probably count on one hand.
Jon
that was a good video…as much as i like Johnny cash,…I still like Willie Nelson’s version better…chuck
Arlo Guthrie’s version is my favorite.
^^^^^ I’ll second that; the original version of the song is still the best, and the only one recorded when the CoNO was still around to mourn…
The late, great Steve Goodman wrote that song and was probably the first to record it. As much as I like Steve’s music, the way he did that tune was just a bit too bright and bouncy for me.
Anthony
I would have to agree completely. Actually I never knew Cash sang it. (I’m from TX and can’t stand country music [8D] )
According to the liner notes in a Steve Goodman CD I have, His City of New Orleans was copyrighted in 1970. I remember hearing it a few times on some of the alternative radio stations in Chicago at the time. It became nationally known when Arlo G. recorded it in 1972 (according to the notes) at Steve G’s suggestion. Also said the notes, Steve was inspired when he rode the actual City of New Orleans (pre-Amtrak).
I think the best version I have is Randy Scruggs and John Prine. The Steve Goodman version I have is I think an early demo or something, the words aren;t the same, but I do like the faster tempo.
–Randy
I woke up the other morning to a version by Willie Nelson. I didn’t know he had ever recorded it. It was OK. The best part was the guitar ditty that was choo chooing in the background.
I believe it was from a television show Johnny Cash did in the late 70’s,early 80’s,about trains and train songs.
http://www.rhino.com/retrovid/VideoKeeper.lasso?Artist=Johnny%20Cash&Partner=
Johnny Cash: Ridin’ The Rails - TV SPECIAL (1974)
Available on home video for the first time, Ridin’ The Rails is a nostalgic look at the history of the American railroad through the song and story of the legendary Johnny Cash. Reenactments of historic railroading moments are movingly narrated by Cash and superbly embellished by his music. Includes outtakes from the original 1974 program.