At the old town hall, where I was tending stable, Swing, boys, swing; together rise and fall I heard a foreman cry, "All hands strong and able Won't you join our gang, come on, heed the call."
(chorus) Swing boys swing, God speed your hammers Swing boys swing, grunt and heave and wail Swing boys swing, to hell with all your manners Swing boys swing, spike the ties and rails
There were men of every walk, Prisoners up to Masons Swing, boys, swing; together rise and fall Engineers with talk of lines to cross a nation "An iron horse will run through field and forest tall."
First we laid the trunk From Kingston up to Cobourg. Swing, boys, swing; together rise and fall Then the Lindsay Line, Port Hope to Mariposa Timber, pork and ale bound for Montreal
And we sweat dawn to dusk In every kind of weather Swing, boys, swing; together rise and fall Sun so blistering hot Your skin was turned to leather Wind and rain so hard, at times we had to crawl
There's some who shirk and groan At life here in the shanty Swing, boys, swing; together rise and fall Gents who pine and moan For the comforts of the fancy Not too keen on gruel or gearing up to brawl
Winter's coming nigh, respite we will savor Swing, boys, swing; together rise and fall But come first breath of Spring I'll return to sell my labor Ringing through the woods You'll hear us young men bawl