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,.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ 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, _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ [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] _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
[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.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .