Canadian Railroad Trilogy

[ capo on 3rd fret ]

D G D
There was a time in this fair land when the railroads did not run D G G6 When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun D G D And long before the white man and long before the wheel A C D Am7 D Am7 D When the green dark forest was too silent to be real

D G D
But time has no beginnings and history has no bounds D G G6 As to this verdant country they came from all around D G D They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall A C D Am7 D Am7 And built the mines the mills and the factories for the good of us all

D G D And when the young man’s fancy was turning in the spring D G G6 The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring D G D Their minds were overflowing with the visions of the day A C D With many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to pay… For they

A Em Looked in the future and what did they see C D They saw an iron road runnin’ from the sea to the sea A Em Bringin the goods to a young growin’ land C D All up from the seaports and into her hands

  Am7      D     Am7               D

Look away said they across this mighty land Am7 D Am7 D From the eastern shore to the western strand

A Em Bring in the workers and bring up the rails C D We’ve gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails A Em Open ‘er heart let the lifeblood flow C D Gotta get on our way cause we’re moving too slow

A Em Bring in the workers and bring up the rails C D We’ve gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails A Em Open ‘er heart let the lifeblood flow C D Gotta get on our way cause we’re moving too slow C A A7addG Get on our way cause we’re movin’ too slow

D G A7 Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declinin’ D G E A A7
The stars they come stealin’ at the close of the day D G A7 D Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping D G A7sus4 D Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away

D G A7 We are the navies who work upon the railway D G E A A7
Swingin our hammers in the bright blazin’ sun D G A7 Livin’ on stew and drinking bad whiskey D G A7sus4 D Bendin’ our old backs till the long days are done

D G A7 We are the navies who work upon the railway D G E A A7 Swingin our hammers in the bright blazin’ sun D G A7 Layin’ down track and buildin’ the bridges D A7sus4 D Bendin’ our old backs till the railroad is done

A Em So over the mountains and over the plains C D Into the muskeg and into the rain A Em Up the St. Lawrence all the way to Gaspe C D Swingin’ our hammers and drawin’ our pay

A Em Drivin’ ‘em in and tyin’ ‘em down C D Away to the bunkhouse and into the town A Em A dollar a day and a place for my head C A A7 A drink to the livin’ a toast to the dead

   D           Am7                                             D

Oh the song of the future has been sung, all the battles have been won Am7 D O’er the mountain tops we stand, all the world at our command Am7 D Am7 A We have opened up this soil with our teardrops…and our toil… For there

D G D
Was a time in this fair land when the railroads did not run D G G6 When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun D G D And long before the white man and long before the wheel A C D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real A C D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real A [n/c] C Cmaj7 D7 And many are the dead men too silent… to be real