Canadian Railroad Trilogy — Gordon Lightfoot

Chords and lyrics for Canadian Railroad Trilogy by Gordon Lightfoot (key of D, capo 3).

Intro

[D] [G] [A7] [D]

Verse 1

[D]There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not [G]run
[Dmaj7]When the wild majestic mountains [G]stood alone against the [A]sun
[D]Long before the white man and long before the [G]wheel
[D]When the green dark forest [A]was too silent to [C]be [D]real

Verse 2

[D]But time has no beginnings and the history has no [G]bounds
[Dmaj7]As to this verdant country [G]they came from all [A]around
[D]They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests [G]tall
[D]Built the mines, the mills and the factories for the good of us [A]all

Verse 3

[D]And when the young man's fancy had [G]turned into the [D]spring
[Dmaj7]The railroad men grew restless [G]for to hear the hammers [A]ring
[D]Their minds were overflowing with the [G]visions of their [D]day
[D]With many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to [A]pay

Chorus

[A]For they looked in the future and what did they [Em]see
[C]They saw an iron road running from the sea to the [D]sea
[A]Bringing the goods to a young growing [Em]land
[C]All up from the seaports and into their [D]hands

Verse 4

[C]Look away said [D]they across this [C]mighty [D]land
[C]From the eastern [D]shore to the [C]western [D]strand

Chorus 2

[A]Bring in the workers and bring up the [Em]rails
[C]We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the [D]trails
[A]Open her heart let the life blood [Em]flow
[C]Gotta get on our way cause we're moving too [D]slow

Chorus 3

Verse 5

[D]Behind the blue Rockies the sun is [G]declining
[A][D]The stars they come stealing [G]at the close of the [E]day
[A][D]Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie [G]sleeping
[D]Beyond the dark oceans in a place far [A]away

Verse 6

[D]We are the navvies who work upon the [G]railway
[A][D]Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing [E]sun
[A][D]Living on stew and drinking bad [G]whiskey
[D]Bending our backs til the long days are [A]done

Verse 7

[D]We are the navvies who work upon the [G]railway
[A][D]Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing [E]sun
[A][D]Laying down track and building the [G]bridges
[D]Bending our old backs til the railroad is [A]done

Verse 8

[A]So over the mountains and over the [Em]plains
[C]Into the muskeg and into the [D]rain
[A]Up the St. Lawrence all the way to [Em]Gaspé
[C]Swinging our hammers and drawing our [D]pay
[A]Drivin' 'em in and tying them [Em]down
[C]Away to the bunkhouse and into the [D]town
[A]A dollar a day and a place for my [Em]head
[C]A drink to the living, a toast to the [A]dead

Verse 9

[D]Oh the song of the future has been [Am]sung
[D]All the battles have been [Am]won
[D]On the mountain tops we [Am]stand
[D]All the world at our [Am]command
[D]We have opened up her [Am]soil
[D]With our teardrops and our [A]toil

Verse 10

[D]For there was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not [G]run
[Dmaj7]When the wild majestic mountains [G]stood alone against the [A]sun
[D]Long before the white man and long before the [G]wheel
[D]When the green dark forest [A]was too silent to [C]be [D]real
[D]When the green dark forest [A]was too silent to [C]be [D]real
[D]And many are the dead [A]men too silent to [C]be [D]real