The Country Gentlemen's version was learned from John Denver, who also rewrote the last verse in a ham-handed direction. The Gents, who ought to have known better, copied Denver lame-ass word for lame-ass word.

I was acquainted with Steve Goodman when he was playing the folk clubs in Chicago before anybody knew "City of New Orleans" beyond the audiences that sat in front of him when he sang it. He sang "old black men." Anybody who thinks that's racist is an idiot.