G'day Peter one of my favourites
CANADIAN RAILROAD TRILOGY BY GORDON LIGHTFOOT

PART 1  
	A		D				    A  
THERE WAS A TIME IN THIS GREAT LAND WHEN THE RAILROAD DID NOT RUN  
	                   		F#M			D		     E  
WHEN THE WILD MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS STOOD ALONE AGAINST THE SUN  
A			D		A  
LONG BEFORE THE WHITE MAN AND LONG BEFORE THE WHEEL  
			      E			G		A	G	A  
WHEN THE GREEN DARK FORREST WAS TOO SILENT TO BE REAL  
  
BUT TIME HAS NO BEGINNINGS AND HISTORY HAS NO BOUNDS  
AS TO THIS VERDANT COUNTRY THEY CAME FROM ALL AROUND  
THEY SAILED UPON HER WATERWAYS AND WALKED HER FORESTS  
BUILT THE MINES, THE MILLS AND THE FACTORIES FOR THE GOOD OF US ALL  
  
AND WHEN THE YOUNG MANS FANCY WAS TURNIN' IN THE SPRING  
THE RAILROAD MEN  GREW RESTLESS FOR TO HEAR THE HAMMERS RING  
THEIR MINDS WERE OVERFLOWING WITH THE VISIONS OF THEIR DAY  
AND MANY A FORTUNE WON AND LOST AND MANY A DEBT TO  PAY  
  
PART 2  
E					G  
THEY LOOKED IN THE FUTURE AND WHAT DID  THEY SEE   
		D				       A  
THEY  SAW AN IRON ROAD RUNNING FROM THE SEA TO THE SEA  
E				G  
BRINGING THE GOODS TO A YOUNG GROWING LAND   
         D			   	           A  
ALL UP FROM THE SEABOARD AND INTO THEIR HANDS  
  
  
A	G	       A            G               		     A		  
LOOK AWAY SAID THEY ACROSS THIS MIGHTY LAND  
	        G		A		 D	     A  
FROM THE EASTERN SHORE TO THE WESTERN STRAND  
  
  
SO BRING UP THE WORKERS AND BRING IN 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  
GET ON OUR WAY 'CAUSE WE'RE MOVING TOO SLOW  
  
PART 3  
      A		    	         F#m        D		E  
BEHIND THE BLUE ROCKIES THE SUN IS DECLINING,   
THE  STARS THEY COME STEALING AT THE CLOSE OF THE DAY  
ACROSS THE WIDE PRAIRIES OUR LOVED ONES LIE SLEEPING  
BEYOND THE DARK OCEANS IN A PLACE FAR AWAY  
  
  
  
  
WE ARE THE NAVVIES WHO WORK UPON THE RAILWAY   
SWINGIN' OUR HAMMERS IN THE BRIGHT BLAZING SUN  
LIVIN' ON STEW AND DRINKING BAD WHISKY  
BENDIN' OUR BACKS 'TILL THE LONG DAY IS DONE  
  
WE ARE THE NAVVIES WHO WORK UPON THE RAILWAY   
SWINGIN' OUR HAMMERS IN THE BRIGHT BLAZING SUN  
LAYIN DOWN TRACK AND BUILDING THE BRIDGES  
LAYIN' DOWN TRACK 'TILL THE RAILROAD IS DONE  
  
(as part 2)  
SO BRING UP THE WORKERS AND BRING IN THE RAILS  
WE GOTTA LAY DOWN THE TRACKS AND TEAR UP THE TRAILS  
UP THE SAINT LAWRENCE ALL THE WAY TO CASPAY  
SWINGIN' OUR HAMMERS AND DRAWING OUR PAY  
  
  
LYIN' 'EM IN AND TYIN' 'EM DOWN  
AWAY TO THE BUNKHOUSE AND INTO THE TOWN  
A DOLLAR  A  DAY AND A PLACE FOR MY HEAD  
A DRINK FOR THE LIVING A TOAST TO THE DEAD  
	 A		G		       A  
OH THE SONG OF THE FUTURE HAS BEEN SUNG  
	   G			  A  
ALL THE BATTLES HAVE BEEN WON   
	   G			  A  
ON THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WE STAND   
	   G		 	  A  
ALL THE WORLD AT OUR COMMAND  
	   G	 		A  
WE HAVE OPENED UP THE SOIL   
		G		       A  
WITH OUR TEARDROPS AND OUR TOIL  
  
THERE WAS A TIME IN THIS GREAT LAND WHEN THE RAILROAD DID NOT RUN  
WHEN THE WILD MAJESTIC MOUNTAINS STOOD ALONE AGAINST THE SUN  
LONG BEFORE THE WHITE MAN AND LONG BEFORE THE WHEEL  
WHEN THE GREEN DARK FOREST WAS TOO SILENT TO BE REAL  
AND MANY ARE THE DEAD MEN TOO SILENT TO BE REAL