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

[Michael J. McCann]

All-time best Canadian folk song ever written. A classic for the ages.

[Fred Napoli]

I had the privilege and the pleasure of interviewing Gordon Lightfoot when he was still a relative unknown except for those who frequented Yorkville Village coffee houses. Gordon is a true poet, a Canadian poet whose song the Railroad Trilogy is also an epic poem, a vision of those early days that stands alone. I have never tired of listening to this song and no matter how many times I hear it, I am always thrilled as if it was the first time. Gordon Lightfoot is a national treasure

[mark stallard]

you are lucky best song writer of all times

[cj tele]

great singer great song



[WalterJacksonFreeman]

u wanna know who,IMO had the greatest voice?...Otis Redding

[WalterJacksonFreeman]

many ppl may think that sounds conceited but he who sings knows his voice and what he can do best,if u r true to urself...not like those flakey american idol caontestants in 1st call

[WalterJacksonFreeman]

that's the understatement of this century...grtz :)

[WalterJacksonFreeman]

Nippy?I've been a Gordy fan since..."If you could read my mind!"

[WalterJacksonFreeman]

If i can turn people onto new gordon o any music trilogy would be it,it's a Canadian trilogy I Love history unlike many I learn from it,people who don't learn from History tend to repeat it,good or bad,IE Hitler

[88seanster]

you have great taste in music Nippy! I have subbed your channel,and thank you.

[David liddle]

My father and mother, who are immigrants from Scotland and ended up living in Ontario Canada fell instantly in love with Gordon Lightfoot and hockey.Can't get more Canadian than that.I was a Leafs fan then and now.that was 46 yrs ago.

.

[Alan Batterman]

The St. Lawrence is the outlet of Lake Ontario, flowing northeast past Montreal and the city of Quebec. Just beyond the city of Quebec, it becomes an estuary. If you continue down the estuary, into the Gulf, and then turn right (south) you come to Gaspe. Since it is beyond the mouth of the St. Lawrence, there is no way to go up the St. Lawrence to get to Gaspe from anywhere. The writer became confused because the St. Lawrence flows north, and on a map, north is up.