'City Of New Orleans': Story of a Song Quiz / Test | Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The classic train song 'City Of New Orleans' was written by Steve Goodman. According to the 'All Music Guide' it has been recorded more than 150 times. Who had a gold-selling version of the song after Goodman persuaded him to cover it?

Answer: Arlo Guthrie

Goodman included the song on his eponymous first album, and persuaded Guthrie to record it, even though he was initially not keen. Arlo became, though, captivated, and put his own stamp on it. Goodman later said: "Arlo slowed it down a bit, changed one of the chords and read the words so good that I learned the song." Guthrie's cover of 'CONO' went gold in record sales. John Denver was first to record the song (the year before Guthrie) and his version was the first I ever heard, but, like many people, I believe that Guthrie is the one who has consistently nailed this song best.

2. What numbers are missing from these lyrics from Steve Goodman's well-loved song 'City of New Orleans'? "Riding on the City of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning rail - cars and - restless riders...."

Answer: 15 and 15

"Fifteen cars and fifteen restless riders
Three conductors and twenty-five sacks of mail"
The route between Chicago and New Orleans is 962 miles (1,490km) long. The train company describes the journey thus: "Your journey on the City of New Orleans takes you through the heart of our nation's musical heritage - from Chicago with its world-class Chicago Symphony Orchestra and still vibrant electric blues scene, to Beale Street in Memphis. Then, travel the history-laden musical crossroads of Mississippi to New Orleans - the birthplace of jazz. You'll be riding in the shadows of giants of American music like Louis Armstrong, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Elvis Presley."

3. According to the classic train song, which way was the 'City of New Orleans' headed at the start of her journey?

Answer: south

"All along the southbound odyssey
The train pulls out at Kankakee
Rolls along past houses, farms and fields.
Passin' towns that have no names,
Freight yards full of old black men
And the graveyards of the rusted automobiles."
The 'CONO' 58 runs northbound and the 'CONO' 59 runs southbound.

4. 'City of New Orleans' is probably one of the most famous train songs of recent musical history. According to the lyrics, how far did the train travel in one day?

Answer: Five hundred miles

Chorus
"Good morning, America, how are you
Don't you know me, I'm your native son
I'm the train they call The City of New Orleans
I'll be gone five hundred miles when the day is done"
The current route was not the original. Amtrak re-routed the train between Memphis and Jackson in 1995.

5. Which country music legend had a number one hit with the train song 'City Of New Orleans'?

Answer: Willie Nelson

Nelson's version reached number one in the country charts in 1983. It was awarded a Grammy for 'Best Country Song' in 1985, the year after Steve Goodman's death from leukemia. He was aged just 36.

6. Which railway company took over the operation of the 'City Of New Orleans' train in the 1970s?

Answer: Amtrak

Amtrak took over the route in 1971. Originally the CONO was a day train on the same route as the night train 'Panama Limited'. After the song became popular, the night train's name was changed to 'CONO'.

7. On March 17 1999, 11 people died when the Southbound 'City Of New Orleans' train collided with a vehicle at Bourbonnais, Illinois. What kind of vehicle was involved?

Answer: A truck

Eleven people on the train died and 122 were injured when the train hit a truck loaded with steel at a level crossing. The truck driver was blamed after an official investigation for a crash that cost $14 million in damages.

8. Steve Goodman, writer of classic train song 'City Of New Orleans', also wrote a theme song for his favorite baseball team. Which baseball team?

Answer: Chicago Cubs

"Go Cubs Go
Go Cubs Go
Hey, Chicago, what do you say
The Cubs are gonna win today."
Goodman, a Chicago native, was a passionate Cubs fan.
He also wrote "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request":
"Have the Cubbies run right out into the middle of the field
Have Keith Moreland drop a routine fly
Give everybody two bags of peanuts and a frosty malt
And I'll be ready to die."

9. Which city and state names are missing from this lyric from Steve Goodman's 'City of New Orleans"? "Nighttime on The City of New Orleans, Changing cars in - - Half way home, we'll be there by morning Through the Mississippi darkness Rolling down to the sea..."

Answer: Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis has a population of over 600,000, and is the second largest conurbation in the state. Among its famous sons and daughters were George Hamilton (actor), Shannen Doherty (actor), Aretha Franklin (singer), Morgan Freeman (actor), Cybill Shepherd (actor), and, not forgetting, Big Daddy V (Wrestler).

10. Steve Goodman wrote his best-known song 'City Of New Orleans' after watching a report on ABC's 'Good Morning America' show that the famous train was about to be cancelled?

Answer: False

Goodman and his wife were traveling on the train in 1970 and he wrote what he saw. At that time, the train was threatened with closure. The song popularized the route and probably saved it from closure. In 1975 'Good Morning America' developed its name and original theme music from the chorus of the song.

Source: Author darksplash

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

'City Of New Orleans': Story of a Song Quiz

"Riding on the City of New Orleans Illinois Central Monday morning rail...". How much do you know about this well-loved train song, written by Steve Goodman?

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