Lyr Req/ADD: Crossties on a Railroad (Dennis Brown

Subject: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 03:48 PM

I know this is a line from "On Top Of Old Smokey", but the song I'm looking for is a Canadian song, written,I think, by an Ottawa songwriter. It was on an early Humber River Valley Boys album and I may have heard Paul Mills sing it.


I left my home in the Selkirks,
Where the Douglas Fir stands,
For the life of a rambler,
To seek foreign lands,
And so I traded the log chain
And the torment of flies
For the cross ties on a railroad
And the stars in the skies.

I did check digitrad, but maybe I have the wrong title for the song.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 03:57 PM

I believe it was written by Dennis Brown. You can find it on one of Bill Garrett's CDs.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 03:58 PM

It was written by Dennis Brown of Ottawa. Bill Garrett sang it on an LP he recorded in the 1970s, Bill & Dennis were once a duo in Montreal, circa 1968-69.

I ran into Dennis in the crowd at the Ottawa Folk Festival a few years ago and we had a nice chat catching up on old friends and acquaintances from the old days.

Dennis was looking good.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 03:59 PM

Yes, it was written by Dennis. Fine guy and good singer. He didn't write often, but when he did it was neat stuff.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:00 PM

Sorry. Cross-posted with you, C.Ham.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:01 PM

Hi Peace,

I see we were posting at about the same moment.

I think Bill Garrett's version is LP only.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:04 PM

Yeah. I think you're right about that. It's a great song. Dennis was a really good guy. Where's he at now? You know? Last I heard he was drivin' a truck--but that was over 20 years back. Did he still have the beard?

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: GUEST,Jim
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:04 PM

Many thanks to all. It was not Paul Mills, but Bill Garrett that I heard sing it. Paul was playing back-up guitar in his Curly Boy Stubbs persona. I just got out that old record. Does Bill ever look young with black longish hair and a black beard. Nice David Wren guitar too.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:08 PM

Dennis was clean shaved when I saw him. I think he said he was working on some kind of federal government contract. But it's a few years ago now that I saw him.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:08 PM

That song was requested at every gig those guys did. Often by me. It has a beautiful melody, and the tip of the hat to Cisco Houston just adds lots of allure to the song.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: C. Ham
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:13 PM

Does Bill ever look young with black longish hair and a black beard.

We all looked a little younger 30 years ago.

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: Peace
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 04:16 PM

Yeah. About 30 years younger . . . .

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:24 PM

Any chance this could be him?

There is also a Dennis Brown who apparently went to some music conference in 2004 and was listed as from Toronto: click

Subject: RE: Cross ties on a Railroad
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 07 - 11:26 PM

Looks like WillieO probably knows the words: click

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Crossties on a Railroad (Dennis Brown)
From: GUEST,999
Date: 08 Sep 12 - 07:14 PM

I will e-mail Bill and get these lyrics.

Subject: ADD: Crossties on a Railroad (Dennis Brown)
From: GUEST,LYRIC ADD ................ 999
Date: 11 Sep 12 - 06:12 PM

Crossties On A Railroad written by Dennis Brown

CROSSTIES ON A RAILROAD
(Dennis Brown)

Left my home in the Selkirks, where the Douglas fir stands
For the life of a rambler, to seek foreign lands
So I traded the log chain and the torment of flies
For the crossties on a railroad, and the stars in the sky


There's a light rain a falling it'll soon turn to snow
And I hear your voice calling from the valley below
As I look at your picture you say more with your eyes
Than the crossties on a railroad, and the stars in the sky


There's a freight whistle pleading way on down the track
I'm a blistered and bleeding from the weight of my pack
If the wind keeps on howling it'll tell me more lies
Than the crossties on a railroad, and the stars in the sky


So if ever you wander, if ever you roam
If ever you gamble your life and your home
Take leave of your senses and soon you'll despise
All the crossties on a railroad and the stars in the sky

##############################

Special thanks to Bill Garrett for taking the time to supply the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Crossties on a Railroad (Dennis Brown
From: GUEST,Rick
Date: 17 May 15 - 03:40 PM

I heard Rocky and Randy Hill do this yesterday I might have to dig out that old Humber River Valley Boys album.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req/ADD: Crossties on a Railroad (Dennis Brown
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Mar 21 - 02:08 PM

The Hill Brothers, Hamilton Ontario, played and sang Crossties on a Railroad November 17, 2019, at the closing concert of Artword Artbar in Hamilton. After 10 years wonderful (and exhausing) years, we sold the Artbar. The Hill Brothers: Randal Hill, Rocky Hill, Tim McDonald and Greg Street, played 2 concerts to mark the end of an era. They credited the song to Dennis Brown. If you want to hear the song, here it is:

https://youtu.be/pqLtkon3898