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For the Cubs Fans: Dying Cub Fans Last Request

fishermanben
I don't know if you've ever heard of Steve Goodman, but he was folk singer from Chicago. His most famous song is "City of New Orleans" which was originally recorded by Arlo Guthrie. The story has it that he was begging Arlo to let him play with him at a bar in Chicago, and Arlo would not let him, but said if he'd buy him a beer, he could play by himself until he finished it. He played, "City of New Orleans", and Arlo was so impressed he requested permission to record it immediately. City of New Orleans was written on the amtrak on his way to Mattoon, Il to visit his wife's family. He imagined himself wandering all the way down to New Orleans.

Another time I'm sure you've heard his name is in the song "You Never Even Call me by my name" when David Allen Coe claims that "My friend steve goodman wrote this song, but claims that it was not the 'perfect country-western song'..."

Steve Goodman wrote this song while dying from Leukemia, and it is called "A dying cubs fan's last request".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciczbU6I-J8

His songs have been recorded by many many more folk & country groups including Coe, Guthrie, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt band.

His cremated remains lie under home plate at Wrigley Field.

Ben
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Comments

9 comments

Date Votes
  • shoff14
    Thats a funny song. [:D]
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  • guns-n-painthorses
    Since Steve Goodman wrote the song in 1970, and Amtrak did not start service until 1971, I think he wrote the song while riding the real "City Of New Orleans" that was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad. Pretty sure of that.


    Got Guns?
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  • likemhot
    Here's the home page for the Steve Goodman Preservation Society,
    I remember the "Earl of Old Town Pub" and a few of the others
    where Steve and a few of the afore mentioned have played.
    Those really were some great times. We all appreciated his
    music even though we weren't Cub's fans and Steve bled Cubbie blue

    http://www.folkblues.com/goodman/about_steve.htm
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  • headzilla97
    It wasnt the perfect western their was no talk about trains or trucks or momma
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  • fishermanben
    quote:Originally posted by guns-n-painthorses
    Since Steve Goodman wrote the song in 1970, and Amtrak did not start service until 1971, I think he wrote the song while riding the real "City Of New Orleans" that was operated by the Illinois Central Railroad. Pretty sure of that.


    I'm sure that you are right. It was all a few years before me, so I'd never heard of it.

    likemhot: thanks for the link.

    Ben
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  • elect1mike
    I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison. And I went to pick her up in the rain. But before I could get to the station in my pick up truck. She got ran over by a damn old train. And I'll hang around as long as you will let me and I never will let you hear me complain. But you don't have to call me darlin darlin you never even call me by my name.

    Now tell me they just don't write songs like this every day.
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  • NOTPOSTAL
    I drank lots of beer and tequila while singin that perfect country & western song.
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  • fishermanben
    bumped for cubslover
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  • Cubslover
    quote:Originally posted by fishermanben
    bumped for cubslover


    Thanks man, excellent.
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