Canadian Railroad Trilogy Chords by Gordon Lightfoot

[F] [Bb] .
[F] [Bb] [Eb] [Bb] [Gm] .
[F] .
There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run,.
When the wild [Bb] majestic mountains stood alone against [Gm] the sun,.
[C] [F] Long before the white man and long before the wheel, .
When the green [C] dark forest [Gm] was too silent [F] to be real,.
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But time has no beginnings and history has no bound,.
As to this verdant [Bb] country they [C] came from all around, .
[F] They sailed upon the waterways and they walked the forest toll,.
Built the mines, the [C] mills and the factories [Eb] for the good [F] of the soul,.
[Cm] [F] [Cm] .
[F] And when the young [Bb] man's fancy [F] had turned into the string,.
The railroad men [Bb] grew restless [C] for to hear the hammers ring, .
[F] Their minds were [Bb] overflowing [F] with the visions of their day,.
With many a fortune [C] won and [Eb] lost and many a debt to [F] pay, .
For [C] they looked in the future [Gm] and what did they see?.
They saw [Eb] an iron road running from [F] the state of the state,.
[C] Bringing the goods [Gm] to the young growing land,.
[Eb] All up from the [F] seaboards and into their hands, .
Look [Cm] away, [F] say they hear, [Cm] across this mighty [F] land, .
Round the [Cm] [F] eastern shore to the [Cm] [F] western strand,.
[C] Bring the workers [Gm] and bring up the rails,.
We [Eb] gotta lay down the tracks [F] and tear up the trails,.
[C] Open your heart, [Gm] let the lifeblood flow,.
[Eb] Gotta get on our way, [F] cause we're moving too slow,.
[C] Bring in the workers [Gm] and bring up the rails,.
We [Eb] gotta lay down the tracks and [F] tear up the trails,.
[C] Open your heart, [Gm] let the lifeblood flow,.
[Eb] Gotta get on our way, cause we're [F] moving too slow,.
[Eb] Get on our way, [C] cause we're moving too slow, .
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[F] Behind blue [Eb] [F].
rockies [Bb] the sun [C] is declining, .
[F] The stars [Bb] they come stealing [G] at the close of [C] the day, .
[F] Across the wide prairie our [Bb] loved ones [C] lie sleeping, .
[F] Beyond [Bb] the dark oceans in a [C] place far [F] away, .
[G] [F] We are the navvies who [Bb] work [C] upon the railway, .
[F] Swinging [Bb] our hammers in [G] the bright blazing [C] sun, .
[F] Living on stew and [Bb] drinking that [C] whiskey, .
[F] [Bb] Mending our backs till [C] the long days are [F] done, .
We are the navvies [Bb] who work upon the [C] railway, .
[F] Swinging [Bb] our hammers [G] in the bright [C] blazing sun, .
[F] Laying down tracks and [Bb] building [C] the [D] bridges,.
[C] [F] Mending [Bb] our backs till the [G] railroad [C] [F].
is done,.
[G] [F] .
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[Bb] [F] .
[C] So over the mountains [Gm] and over the plain,.
[Eb] Into the [F] muskeg and into the rain,.
[C] Up the single and [Gm] solo way to gas bay,.
[Eb] Swinging our [F] hammers and drawing our pay,.
[C] Driving them [Gm] in and tying them down,.
[Eb] Our way to the bog house [F] and into the town,.
[C] A dollar a [Gm] day and a place for my head,.
[Eb] A drink to the living [C] and a toast to the dead, .
Oh [F] the song of [Cm] the future has been sung,.
Oh the battles held in [F] war,.
On the [Cm] mountain tops we stand,.
Oh the world at our [F] command,.
We [Cm] have opened up to the [F] soil,.
With our [Cm] teardrops and [C] our toil, .
For [F] there was a time in this fair land,.
When the railroad did not run,.
When the wild majestic [Bb] mountains stood,.
Alone against the sun,.
[F] Long before the [Bb] white [F] men and long before the wheel,.
When the green [C] dark forest was [Eb] too silent to [F] be real,.
When the green [C] dark forest [Eb] was too silent [F] to be real,.
And many [C] of the dead men, .
[Bb] [Eb] Too silent .
[Gm] to [F] be real.
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