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Canadian railroad trilogy

Gordon Lightfoot

 


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 DGD/C#bassG6
===========      X==========      X==========      X==========
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | | | | | 1 | 2 | | 1 | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | | 3 | | | | | 3 4 | | | | 3 | | | | | 3 4
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
 ACAm7Em
X==========      X==========      ===========      ===========
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | 1 2 3 | | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | 1 2 3 | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
 A7addGA7EA7sus4
X==========      X==========      ===========      ===========
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | 1 | 2 | | | 1 | 2 | 2 3 4 | | | | | 1 | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
 Cmaj7D7
X==========      ===========      ===========      ===========
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | 2 | | | | | | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
-----------      -----------      -----------      -----------
Intro:
 -----DGG/CGG6
---2-2-2---2-2-2-----2-----2-----2-2-2-----2-2-2-----2-2-2---2-2-2-------
---3-3-3---3-3-3-----2-----2-----2-2-2-----2-2-2-----2-2-2---2-2-2-------
---2-2-2---2-2-2-----0-----0-----0-0-0-----0-0-0-----0-0-0---0-0-0-------
-----------------------0-2-----------------------------------2-2-2-------
-----------------0-2---------0-2-------0-3-------0-2-------0-------------
-0-------0---------------------------------------------------------------
 G6D
---2-2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------------------------------------
---2-2-2---2-2-2---3-3-3---3-3-3-----------------------------------------
---0-0-0---0-0-0---2-2-2---2-2-2-----------------------------------------
---2-2-2---2-2-2---------------------------------------------------------
-0-------0---------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------0-------0--------"There was..."-------------------------
Verses:
------
 DGD
 There was a time in this fair land when the railroads did not run
 D/C#bassGG6
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
 DGD
And long before the white man and long before the wheel
 ACDAm7DAm7D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real    
 DGD
 But time has no beginnings and hist'ry has no bounds
 D/C#bassGG6
As to this verdant country they came from all around
 DGD
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall
 ACDAm7DAm7
And built the mines the mills and the factories for the good of us all  
 DGD
 And when the young man's fancy was turning in the spring
 D/C#bassGG6
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring
 DGD
Their minds were overflowing with the visions of the day
 ACD
With many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to pay... For they
 AEm
 Looked in the future and what did they see
 CD
They saw an iron road runnin' from the sea to the sea
 AEm
 Bringin the goods to a young growin' land
 CD
All up from the seaports and into her hands
 Am7DAm7D
Look away said they across this mighty land
 Am7DAm7D
From the eastern shore to the western strand
 AEm
 Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
 CD
We've gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
 AEm
 Open 'er heart let the lifeblood flow
 CD
Gotta get on our way cause we're moving too slow
 AEm
 Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
 CD
We've gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
 AEm
 Open 'er heart let the lifeblood flow
 CD
Gotta get on our way cause we're moving too slow
 CAA7addG
 Get on our way cause we're movin' too slow... 
 DGA7
Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declinin'
 DGEAA7
The stars they come stealin' at the close of the day 
 DGA7D
 Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping 
 DGA7sus4D
 Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away
 DGA7
 We are the navvies who work upon the railway
 DGEAA7
 Swingin our hammers in the bright mornin' sun 
 DGA7
 Livin' on stew and drinking bad whiskey
 DGA7sus4D
 Bendin' our old backs till the long days are done
 DGA7
 We are the navvies who work upon the railway
 DGEAA7
 Swingin our hammers in the bright mornin' sun 
 DGA7
 Layin' down track and buildin' the bridges
 DA7sus4D
 Bendin' our old backs till the railroad is done...
 AEm
So over the mountains and over the plains
 CD
 Into the muskeg and into the rain
 AEm
 Up the St. Lawrence all the way to Gaspe
 CD
 Swingin' our hammers and drawin' our pay
 AEm
 Drivin' 'em in and tyin' 'em down
 CD
Away to the bunkhouse and into the town
 AEm
A dollar a day and a place for my head
 CAA7
A drink to the livin' a toast to the dead 
 DAm7D
Oh the song of the future has been sung, all the battles have been won
 Am7D
O'er the mountain tops we stand, all the world at our command
 Am7DAm7A
We have opened up this soil with our teardrops...and our toil...  For there
 DGD
 Was a time in this fair land when the railroads did not run
 D/C#bassGG6
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
 DGD
And long before the white man and long before the wheel
 ACD
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
 ACD
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
 ACCmaj7D7
And many are the dead men...too silent...      to be real
================================================================================
As always, comments or corrections may be e-mailed to me or posted.
Either way, I'll see 'em and take note. Enjoy this one -- it's a classic
12-string tune.
-- Matthew


A A7 A7sus4 Am7 C Cmaj7 D D/C# D7 E Em G G/C G6
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