Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian railroad trilogy
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From: jgoffin@acs.ucalgary.ca (Jeffrey Goffin)
CANADIAN RAILROAD TRILOGY by Gordon Lightfoot
(This is not the key that Lightfoot uses. I transposed it ages
ago to fit my voice. Find a key that fits yours. JG)
CThere was a time in Fthis fair land when the Crailroad did not run
CWhen the wild majestic Fmountains stood aGlone against the sun
CLong before the Fwhite man and Clong before the wheel
CWhen the green dark Gforest was too Bbsilent to be Creal. Gm C Gm C
But time has not beginnings and histr'y has no bounds
As to this verdant country they came from all around
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall
Built the mines mills and the factories for the good of us all.
And when the young man's fancy was turnin' in the spring
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring.
Their minds were over-flowin' with the visions of their day
And many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to pay.
There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real.
CFor they Glooked in the future and Dmwhat did they see
They saw an Bbiron road running from the Csea to the sea
GBringin' the goods to a Dmyoung growin' land
All Bbup from the seaports and Cinto their hands
Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
Open her heart let the life-blood flow
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow.
BbGet on our way 'cause we're Gmovin' too slow.
BeChind the blue Rockies the Fsun is deGclinin'
The Cstars they come Fstealin' at the Dclose of the Gday.
ACcross the wide prairies our Floved ones lie Gsleeping
BeCyond the dark Fforest in a Gplace far aCway.
We are the plow-boys who work upon the railway
Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun
Livin' on stew and drinkin' bad whiskey
Layin' down track 'til the long days are done.
Yeah, Cbendin' our Fbacks 'til the Grailroad is Cdone. C Gm C Gm
GmNow the Csong of the Gmfuture has been Csung
CAll the Gmbattles have been Cwon
On the Gmmountain tops we Cstand
All the Gmworld at our comCmand
We have Gmopened up the Csoil
With our Gmteardrops and our Gtoil
There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real.
But time has not beginnings and histr'y has no bounds
As to this verdant country they came from all around
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall
Built the mines mills and the factories for the good of us all.
And when the young man's fancy was turnin' in the spring
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring.
Their minds were over-flowin' with the visions of their day
And many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to pay.
There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
CWhen the green dark Gforest was too Bbsilent to be Creal.
When the green dark Gforest was too Bbsilent to be Creal.
And many are the Gdead men too Bbsilent too be Creal Gm C
* "Here's a song that I like to play. *
* Print it out, play it and pass it around. *
* If you like it, send me one of your favourites." *
* *
* Jeffrey Goffin Internet: jgoffin@acs.ucalgary.ca *
* Calgary, Alberta, Canada FidoNet: 1:134/160 *