GORDON LIGHTFOOT - Canadian Railroad Trilogy lyrics

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There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run<br>When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun<br>Long before the white man and long before the wheel<br>When the green dark forest was too silent to be real<br>But time has no beginnings and hist'ry has no bounds<br>As to this verdant country they came from all around<br>They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall<br>And they built the mines the mills and the factories for the good of us all<br><br>And when the young man's fancy was turnin' to the spring<br>The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring<br>Their minds were overflowing with the visions of their day<br>And many a fortune lost and won and many a debt to pay<br><br>For they looked in the future and what did they see<br>They saw an iron road runnin' from sea to the sea<br>Bringin' the goods to a young growin' land<br>All up through the seaports and into their hands<br><br>Look away said they across this mighty land<br>From the eastern shore to the western strand<br>Bring in the workers and bring up the rails<br>We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails<br>Open 'er heart let the life blood flow<br>Gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow<br><br>Bring in the workers and bring up the rails<br>We're gonna lay down the tracks and tear up the trails<br>Open 'er heart let the life blood flow<br>Gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow<br>Get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow<br><br>Behind the blue rockies the sun is declinin'<br>The stars, they come stealin' at the close of the day<br>Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping<br>Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away<br><br>We are the navvies who work upon the railway<br>Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun<br>Livin' on stew and drinkin' bad whiskey<br>Bendin' our old backs 'til the long days are done<br><br>We are the navvies who work upon the railway<br>Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun<br>Layin' down track and buildin' the bridges<br>Bendin' our old backs 'til the railroad is done<br><br>So over the mountains and over the plains<br>Into the muskeg and into the rain<br>Up the st. lawrence all the way to gaspe<br>Swingin' our hammers and drawin' our pay<br>Drivin' 'em in and tyin' 'em down<br>Away to the bunkhouse and into the town<br>A dollar a day and a place for my head<br>A drink to the livin' and a toast to the dead<br><br>Oh the song of the future has been sung<br>All the battles have been won<br>O'er the mountain tops we stand<br>All the world at our command<br>We have opened up the soil<br>With our teardrops and our toil<br><br>For there was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run<br>When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun<br>Long before the white man and long before the wheel<br>When the green dark forest was too silent to be real<br>When the green dark forest was too silent to be real<br>And many are the dead men too silent to be real