Capo 3rd fret

Standard (EADGBE)

There was a time in this fair 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

 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

 For they looked in the future and what did they see

 They saw an iron road running from the sea to the sea

Bringing the goods to a young growing land

 All up from the seaports and into their hands

 Look away said they across this mighty land

 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

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

(fadeout )

Get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow

 Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declining

 The stars they come stealing at the close of the day

Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping

Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away

We are the navvies who work upon the railway

Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing sun

Living on stew and drinking bad whiskey

Bending our backs til the long days are done

We are the navvies who work upon the railway

Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing sun

Laying down track and building the bridges

Bending our old backs til the railroad... is done

 So over the mountains and over the plains

Into the muskeg and into the rain

Up the St. Lawrence all the way to Gaspe

Swinging our hammers and drawing our pay

Drivin' 'em in and tying them down

 Away to the bunkhouse and into the town

 A dollar a day and a place for my head

 A drink to the living, a toast to the dead

 Oh the song of the future has been sung

 All the battles have been won

 On the mountain tops we stand

 All the world at our command

 We have opened up her soil

 With our teardrops... and our toil

 For there was a time in this fair 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

 When the green dark forest was too silent to be real

 And many are the dead men

 too silent... to be real

Have a good time playing it! Comments and suggestions for improvement are always welcome :-)