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                       GORDON LIGHTFOOT - Canadian Railroad Trilogy
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Tabbed by: ClassicManiac

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CAPO 3 (to be in key with Ol' Gord)


             
There was a ti

             
me in this fai

              
r land when th

  
e railroad did

 not run
         
When the wild 

             
majestic mount

           
ains stood alo

ne against the

 sun
             
Long before th

             
e white man an

  
d long before 

the wheel
             
When the green

             
 dark forest w

             
as too silent 

                  
to be real


             
But time has n

             
o beginnings a

       
nd the history

 has no bounds
         
As to this ver

             
dant country t

    
hey came from 

all around
             
They sailed up

             
on her waterwa

            
ys and they wa

lked the fores

ts tall
             
Built the mine

              
s, the mills a

             
nd the factori

             
es for the goo

                   
d of us all


             
And when the y

             
oung man's fan

       
cy had turned 

into the sprin

g
         
The railroad m

             
en grew restle

          
ss for to hear

 the hammers r

ing
             
Their minds we

             
re overflowing

          
 with the visi

ons of their d

ay
             
With many a fo

             
rtune won and 

             
lost and many 

          
a debt to pay


             
For they looke

              
d in the futur

      
e and what did

 they see
             
They saw an ir

              
on road runnin

           
g from the sea

 to the sea
             
Bringing the g

          
oods to a youn

g growing land
             
All up from th

              
e seaports and

 
 into their ha

nds


             
Look away said

            
 they across t

           
his mighty lan

d
             
From the easte

             
rn shore to th

         
e western stra

nd


             
Bring in the w

           
orkers and bri

ng up the rail

s
             
We gotta lay d

              
own the tracks

     
 and tear up t

he trails
             
Open her heart

         
 let the life 

blood flow
             
Gotta get on o

              
ur way 'cause 

      
we're moving t

oo slow


             
Bring in the w

           
orkers and bri

ng up the rail

s
             
We gotta lay d

              
own the tracks

     
 and tear up t

he trails
             
Open her heart

         
 let the life 

blood flow
             
Gotta get on o

              
ur way 'cause 

      
we're moving t

oo slow
             
Get on our way

              
 'cause we're 

             
moving too slo

   ( 
w


             
Behind the blu

              
e Rockies the 

        
sun is declini

ng
             
The stars they

             
 come stealing

             
 at the close 

          
of the day
             
Across the wid

            
e prairie our 

             
loved ones lie

 
 sleeping
             
Beyond the dar

             
k oceans in a 

          
place far away


             
We are the nav

             
vies who work 

             
upon the railw

ay
            
Swinging our h

              
ammers in the 

             
bright blazing

    
 sun
           
Living on stew

             
 and drinking 

    
bad whiskey
             
Bending our ba

             
cks til the lo

           
ng days are do

ne


             
We are the nav

             
vies who work 

             
upon the railw

ay
            
Swinging our h

              
ammers in the 

             
bright blazing

    
 sun
           
Laying down tr

             
ack and buildi

           
ng the bridges
             
Bending our ol

             
d backs til th

             
e railroad... 

    
 is done


             
So over the mo

            
untains and ov

er the plains
             
Into the muske

      
g and into the

 rain
             
Up the St. Law

              
rence all the 


way to Gaspé
             
Swinging our h

           
ammers and dra

wing our pay
             
Drivin' 'em in

     
 and tying the

m down
             
Away to the bu

            
nkhouse and in

to the town
             
A dollar a day

       
 and a place f

or my head
             
A drink to the

           
 living, a toa

st to the dead


             
Oh the song of

            
 the future ha

       
s been sung
            
All the battle

            
s have been wo

n
            
On the mountai

          
n tops we stan

d
            
All the world 

       
at our command
            
We have opened

        
 up her soil
             
With our teard

 (  
rops...       

        
and our toil


             
For there was 

             
a time in this

              
 fair land whe

      
n the railroad

 did not run
         
When the wild 

             
majestic mount

           
ains stood alo

ne against the

 sun
             
Long before th

             
e white man an

  
d long before 

the wheel
             
When the green

             
 dark forest w

             
as too silent 

      
to be real
             
When the green

             
 dark forest w

             
as too silent 

      
to be real
             
And many are t

    (  
he dead men…
         
too silent... 

                    
    to be real