I'm on the noon train out of New Orleans The Sunset Limited to Los Angeles Riding through Bayou Blue Spanish moss hanging from the cypress trees Tarpaper roofs on the shotgun shacks Broken down cars beside the railroad tracks Refineries with miles of pipeline Gas flares burning against the skyline Faded paint on cinderblock bars A broken down house with a dog in the yard He lunges out to the end of his chain Snarling and barking at the train Christmas lights blinking on a doublewide Three little kids playing barefoot outside Their clothes are thin and it's getting chilly But they're laughing and runing and being silly Nawlins is back are back they rebuilt downtown But come another flood everybody gonna drown They never fixed the levees and they got no plan They let the poor people manage as best they can Tourists stagger down Bourbon Street Ignoring beggars asking them for something to eat They got their takeout beers in their plastic cups They were down at Pat O'Brien's living it up