Canadian Railroad Trilogy Lyrics - Gord's Gold - Gordon Lightfoot

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 hist'ry 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 the 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 runnin' from sea to the sea 

Bringin' the goods to a young growin' land 

All up through 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 'er heart let the life blood flow 

Gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow 

Bring in the workers and bring up the rails 

We're gonna lay down the tracks and tear up the trails 

Open 'er heart let the life blood flow 

Gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow 

Get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow 

Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declinin' 

The stars, they come stealin' at the close of the day 

Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping 

Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away 

We are the navvies who work upon the railway 

Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun 

Livin' on stew and drinkin' bad whiskey 

Bendin' our old backs 'til the long days are done 

We are the navvies who work upon the railway 

Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun 

Layin' down track and buildin' the bridges 

Bendin' 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 

Swingin' our hammers and drawin' our pay 

Drivin' 'em in and tyin' 'em down 

Away to the bunkhouse and into the town 

A dollar a day and a place for my head 

A drink to the livin' and a toast to the dead 

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 

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