Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian Railroad Trilogy (Lyrics )

Gordon Lightfoot
"Canadian Railroad Trilogy"
From the Album - The Way I Feel. 1967



Lyrics:

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 no beginnings and the history 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' to the spring
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring
Their minds were overflowing with the visions of their day
And many a fortune lost and won and many a debt to pay




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




Look away said they across this mighty land
From the eastern shore to the western strand




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 moving too slow




Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
We're gonna 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 moving too slow
Get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow




Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declining
The stars they come stealing at the close of the day
Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping
Beyond the dark ocean in a place far away




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




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




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




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




For 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
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
And many are the dead men too silent to be real

Category:

Music

Tags:

• gordon
• lightfoot
• canadian
• railroad
• trilogy
• LYRICS
• provided

[TheScoop8]

My favorite Lightfoot song. The verse toward the end of this song is among my favorite lyric...

"Oh the song of the future has been sung

All the battles have been won

O'er the mountain tops we stand

All the world at our command

We have opened up the soil

With our teardrops and our toil"

It's also, to me, a shout out to my (U.S.) beloved neighbors to the north, Canada.

Thanks for uploading :) Jeff. Dallas, Tx

[williamgain1951]

Problem is there is not one photo shows any of the thousands of Chinese labourers that built the rail through the Canadian Rockies, many of whom lost their lives through blasting and doing the dangerous work no one else would.

For half the pay and no recognition such in this song or vid......you can't change history.....so get it right....

[hellion741]

:)



[inglescorner]

@williamgain1951  Then put as much effort into a video as this person did. Make a better video. I'll be watching for it.

[baggypantstoo]

I will never tire of this epic song

[canmoore]

seven people missed the train!

[nonokayakjack]

Sir John A was as audacious a dreamer as the world has ever seen. An alcoholic who used to show up to parliament drunk and fist fight with the opposition. A genious, a dreamer and the man who made us! I love him to death! Buried in a simple grave in Kingston Ontario!!! I've stood on the Great Pyramid, gone shopping in the bazaar in Istanbul and dipped my foot in the Thames, but nothing has ever matched my humble visit that day in Kingston!

[tk177razr]

I have to say the completion of the railroad was a victory for the Canadians just as the Transcontinental was for the US For those who live in Canada this song has much more meaning for you but living in the UP of Michigan off Lake Superior "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald has great meaning to all Yoopers and Superior residents but by far this is my 2nd favorite Lightfoot song so thank you Canada for producing this man when you did not in this present era where his voice might never be known

[NorthWriter]

This, in my opinion, is the best era of Gordo's, when it was him, Red Shea and John Stockfish. I remember reading that they all felt this would be a powerful statement to purposely NOT have a drummer in an era when most bands had one (and sometimes two).

This song makes me proud to be able to call myself Canadian.

[jags2rags]

Not only a palatable voice, but a very guteral guitar player. Too bad someone could not clone him. Because, I would like to hear him play the mandolin. I have never heard anyone play 12 string that well! Makes me wonder if he could play a mandolin. What a great day in humanity when we can listen to this. Amen.....

[clam502]

@JackTiger9 Seriously dude? Only fools like you worry about nonsense. Just to remind you, this is a song about Canadian Railroad history. Has nothing to do with race.

[7P46115]

To me this song is rather poignant, myself being a railwayman, yes not in Canada but still its the same really. "And many are the dead men...to silent to be real", those words always send a shiver down my spine!