Lyr Req: Canadian Railroad Trilogy (G Lightfoot)

Subject: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From:
Date: 12 Oct 99 - 07:53 AM

Hi Folks,

first I want to say thank you for this great database. I found lyrics of songs, I´ve searched for a long time.

But,maybe someone can help me:

I met Doug Porter in the middle of the 70th. And I learned a song called "The Canadian Railroad Trilogy". I lost and forgot the words. And I can´t remember all of the words.

So, if anybody has them, please let me know.

Thanx Peter

Subject: ADD: The Canadian Railroad Trilogy (lightfoot)
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 12 Oct 99 - 08:31 AM

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  

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Ted from Australia
Date: 12 Oct 99 - 08:35 AM

Buggerit I'll have to read the how to, to get the spacing of the chords right. BTW this is my version of the chords Gordon Lightfoot has a different set, but mine fit anyway. Regards Ted

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From:
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 02:10 AM

Thanks a lot for your effort ;-))

The chords I have in my head (brain), but the words were gone with the wind ....

Thank you very much Peter from Germany, Gehrden near Hannover (where the Expo will be.....)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 03:25 AM

I've been learning this song for the last thirty years! some of the lines just wouldn't sink in for a long time. I performed it for the first time on Saturday last week to a not-particularly-folkie audience in my home village, and you could have heard a pin drop! I've been on a cloud ever since - I wish it was always as good ...

I heard that Lightfoot wrote the song for a competition CPR held to celebrate its centenary; the winner was "Canadian Pacific" (carry me ten thousand miles - you know the one) by John Denver(?). I suppose they wanted a song about the railroad, not the men who built it.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Peter, Germany
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 05:54 AM

Yes, in deed. It´s not a sub-trivial song. That is why GL called it "Trilogy". The song is divided in threee parts. And it´s difficult to hold the rhythm. But it is a very fine song. And the effort will get a great satisfaction.

Bye for now Peter

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 09:48 AM

Steve, The song "Canadian Pacific" was by British Columbia songwriter Ray Griff. Decent song..but not Railroad Trilogy.

Rick

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 11:08 AM

I had heard a rumour that this was proposed as a new Canadian National Anthem or at least an official National song but that it was kyboshed because it's too long. Anyone of my fellow Canucks hear anything about this?

I found the quality of Gordon Lightfoot's songwriting to be inconsistent, but this one's a beauty, I would consider it his finest work.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Bob Landry
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 04:48 PM

Steve Parkes,

I hadn't heard about this song being in a competition for the CPR centenary but I seem to remember Lightfoot introducing it in a concert as his Centennial project. Did Steve Poole show you our local centennial project, the Great Divide Waterfall that runs off the top of the High Level Bridge in the middle of Edmonton? ... a bridge built to carry rail traffic from the CN lines (that run east-west through Edmonton) and the CPR lines (that run east west through Calgary, 180 miles south of Edmonton.) Next time you're here, we'll try CRT as a duet.

Steve Latimer, I did hear the "anthem" rumour. Too many Canadians struggle to remember the words to the relatively short national anthem we now have. Most would never be able to remember the word to the CRT.

Bob

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Peter T.
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 06:24 PM

In my opinion, easily the greatest English Canadian song ever -- even better than Northwest Passage or some other folk contenders. It is so epic, so big and beautiful: shaped like the work it describes. What a song. I have listened to it a thousand times, and it still makes the head swim. It is better than an anthem: it is an embodiment.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 07:21 PM

It sounds like the tune might be worth notating (i'm not familiar with it) but would expect the score to be reasonably accessible. I'll gladly do the work, but is anyome aware of a Midi available for it? I'd like to see/hear a fuller interpretation of it. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: DonMeixner
Date: 13 Oct 99 - 11:29 PM

I pulled this tune, TAB and all out of OLGA and Harmony Central a year and a half ago. Maybe its still accessible by some back door. My computer is so screwed I can't search it or I would.

Sorry,

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 14 Oct 99 - 03:23 AM

My sincere apologies to Ray Griff over my misattribution.

Bob: no, I haven't seen the Gereat Divide Waterfall, but it's on my list now for my next visit. I'm looking forward to that duet!

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 14 Oct 99 - 08:31 AM

Holy snapping duck feathers! It is something of a War and Peace epic,isn't it? I doubt that I'll get it done tonight, but I'll start the notation anyway. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 14 Oct 99 - 12:31 PM

I've been telling people it's called the CR Trilogy because it's in five parts.

Steve

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: John in Brisbane
Date: 15 Oct 99 - 04:00 AM

I've done the notation which I can mail to anyone as required, but this song is a prime example of stretching the boundaries of Alan's excellent MIDI TO TEXT program, because it changes time signature several times. Fortunately Alan has some ideas to make all this somewhat easier for us, so I'll probably delay posting this until he's ready to roll. Regards, John

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Canadian Railroad trilogy
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 15 Oct 99 - 07:48 AM

You could always split the tune into three parts (and the words into five).