Sentient Cement Coverpile - Gordon Lightfoot

Canadian Railroad Trilogy - Gordon Lightfoot

Am 0 D Am 0 D
{Refrain:
          D                  G                               D                    D4||| D
There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
                Dmaj7          G                      A                         A4|||A
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
D                       G                   D                           D4||| D
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
                D              A                  C               D Am 0 D Am 0 D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real                          }

But time has no beginnings and the history has no bounds
As to this verdant country they came from all around
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall
Built the mines, the mills and the factories for the good of us all
And when the young man's fancy had turned into the spring
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring
Their minds were overflowing with the visions of their day
With many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to pay

            A                                Em
For they looked in the future and what did they see
                    C                                      D
They saw an iron road running from the sea to the sea
A                                  Em
Bringing the goods to a young growing land
      C                                    D
All up from the seaports and into their hands
         C            D      C                        D
Look away said they across this mighty land
               C          D               C           D
From the eastern shore to the western strand

{Bring in the workers and bring up the rails
We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails
Open her heart let the life blood flow
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow}
C                                          A(sust)
[Get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow] (2nd time)} (x2)

D                    F#m          G        A A4 A 0
Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declining
       D                      G                 E                A   A7
The stars they come stealing at the close of the day
D                     D7          G                 A A4 A 0
Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping
D                        G               A             D D4 D D9
Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away

{D                D7              G                    A      A4 A 0
We are the navvies who work upon the railway
D                  G                     E7                 A   A7
Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing sun
D            D7          G                 A       A4 A 0
Living on stew and drinking bad whiskey
[Layin' down track and buildin' the bridges] (2nd time)
D                      G                 A                  D D4 D D9         Am 0 D Am 0 D
Bending our old backs 'til the long days are done          } (x2)

   A                                 Em                  C         C7               D
So over the mountains and over the plains into the muskeg and into the rain
A                                        Em                C                  D
Up the St. Lawrence all the way to Gaspe swinging our hammers and drawin' our pay
A                      Em                  C                                      D
Nailin' 'em in and tyin' 'em down away to the bunkhouse and into the town
    A                         Em                         C                            A
A dollar a day and a place for my head, a drink to the living, a toast to the dead
            D              Am                   D               Am                      D
Oh the song of the future has been sung, all the battles have been won
            Am                    D                 Am                    D
On the mountain tops we stand, all the world at our command
               Am                  D                Am(sust)                    A
We have opened up her soil with our teardrops . . . and our toil

[REFRAIN]
                D               A                   C               D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real
        D                 A (sust.)        C Cmaj7          D    Am 0 D Am 0 D
And many are the dead men too silent . . . . to be real

-------------------------------------

Written by Gordon Lightfoot.

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