Gordon Lightfoot – Canadian Railroad Trilogy (Bass Tab)

[Verse 1]
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There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run..    And the..

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  wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun

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Long before the white man and long before the wheel                 When the..

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green dark forests stood to silent to be real...

[Pre-Verse 2]
4/4
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E|-----------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|

[Verse 2]
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D|-3---------------------|-3-------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
A|--------------------3--|-------------------------3-|-------3-|-------3-|-------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
But time has no beginings and history has no bounds..

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D|-3---------------------|-3-----------------------3-|----5----|----5----|--------5|
A|--------------------3--|---------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
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As to this verdant         country              they came from all around..

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They sailed upon her      waterways and they          walked the forests tall

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D|-3------------------3--|----------5----------------|----------8------------|
A|-----------------------|-3-----------------------3-|-6------------------6--|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
Built the mines, mills and the factories for the      good of us all

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D|-3-------------------|-3----------|-3------------------|-3-----------------|
A|-------------------3-|--->3-------|------------------3-|--->3--------------|
E|---------------------|------------|--------------------|-------------------|

G|----------5------------|----------5----------------|
D|-3---------------------|-3-------------------------|
A|--------------------3--|-------------------------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|

G|----------5------------|----------5----------------|---5-----|---5-----|---5-----|
D|-3---------------------|-3-------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
A|--------------------3--|-------------------------3-|-------3-|-------3-|-------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
And when the young man's fancy was                    turnin' to the spring

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D|-3---------------------|-3-----------------------3-|----5----|----5----|--------5|
A|--------------------3--|---------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
The railroad men grew     restless for to             hear the hammers ring

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D|-3---------------------|-3-------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
A|--------------------3--|-------------------------3-|-------3-|-------3-|-------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
Their minds were over     flowing with the            visions of their day

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D|-3------------------3--|----------5----------------|----------8------------|
A|-----------------------|-3-----------------------3-|-6------------------6--|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|
And many a fortune        won and lost and            many a debt to pay

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D|-3---------------------|-3-------------------------|-3-------|>3-------|
A|--------------------3--|-------------------------3-|-------3-|---------|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|

[Verse 4]
2/4
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For they looked in the future and          what did they see..       The saw an

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A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
 iron road           runnin' from the sea to the sea

G|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
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A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
  Bringin' the      goods to a       young growin' land

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D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3---------------|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|---------3-------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
All up through the seaports and into their hands

G|------------------|-----------------|
D|-3----------------|-3---------------|
A|---------3--------|---------3/------|
E|------------------|-----------------|

[Pre-Verse 5]
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Look away said      they               across this mighty land

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D|--------10-------|---------10---------|---------10---------|----------3-3-2-0-|
A|-8---------------|-8------------------|-8------------------|-8----------------|
E|---------------8-|------------------8-|------------------8-|-----8------------|
From the eastern shore to the western strand

[Verse 5]
2/4
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D|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
Bring in       the workers and       bring up the rails

G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3---3---2---0---|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
We're gonna lay down the tracks and tear up the trails

G|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
Open 'er          heart let the     life blood flow

G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3-------3-3-2-0-|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
  Get on our way          'cause we're movin' too slow

[Verse 5 again]
2/4
G|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
Bring in       the workers and       bring up the rails

G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3---3---2---0---|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
We're gonna lay down the tracks and tear up the trails

G|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
D|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
Open 'er          heart let the     life blood flow

G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3-------3-3---0-|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
  Get on our way          'cause we're movin' too slow

                                       4/4
G|-----------------|-----------------|---------5---5----|---------5---5---|
D|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|-3----------------|-3---------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
  Get on our way          'cause we're movin' too slow

   slowing down..........................STOP                
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D|-----------------|------------------|->5---------------|
A|-3---------------|-3----------------|->3---------------|
E|-----------------|------------------|------------------|

[Verse 6]
3/4
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Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declinin'

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D|-3------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|-----0---2---|
A|--------------|-1----------0-|-----------1-|-3-------3---|-3-----------|
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The stars, they come stealin' at the close of the day

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Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping

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Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away

[Verse 7]
3/4
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We are the navvies who work upon the railway

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D|-3------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|-----0---2---|
A|--------------|-1--------1-0-|-----------1-|-3-------3---|-3-----------|
E|--------------|--------------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun

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D|-3------------|-3------------|-------------|-------------|
A|--------------|------------0-|-1-----------|-3-------3---|
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Livin' on stew and drinkin' bad whiskey

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D|-3------------|--------------|-------------|-3-----------|-------------|
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Bendin' our backs 'til the railroad is done

[Verse 8]
3/4
G|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-3------------|-3------------|-------------|-------------|
A|--------------|------------0-|-1-----------|-3-----1h3---|
E|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
We are the navvies who work upon the railway

G|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-3------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|-----0---2---|
A|--------------|-1--------1-0-|-----------1-|-3-------3---|-3-----------|
E|--------------|--------------|-3-----------|-------------|-------------|
Swingin' our hammers in the bright blazin' sun

G|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
D|-3------------|-3------------|-------------|-------------|
A|--------------|------------0-|-1---------1-|-3-------3---|
E|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
Layin' down track and buildin' the bridges

G|--------------|--------------|-------------|-5-----------|
D|-3------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
A|--------------|-1----------0-|-3-----------|--------3----|
E|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
Bendin' our backs 'til the railroad is done

4/4 slowly
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D|-3---------------|-----------------|-3---------------|-------------------|
A|-------------3---|-3-----------3---|-------------3---|-3-------------3---|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|

G|-------5---------|-------5---------|
D|-3---------------|-3---------------|
A|-------------3---|-------------3---|
E|-----------------|-----------------|

[Verse 9]
2/4
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A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
So over the mountains and over the plains

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D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3---3-------0---|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
Into the muskeg and into the rain

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D|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
Up the St. Lawrence all the way to Gaspe

G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3-------3-3-2-0-|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
  Swingin' our hammers and drawin' our pay

[Verse 10]
2/4
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A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
Layin' 'em in and tyin' 'em down

G|-----------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-----------------|-3----------------|-3---3-------0---|
A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|---------3--------|-----------------|
E|---------6-------|---------6-------|------------------|-----------------|
Away to the bunkhouse and into the town

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D|----------------|----------------|----------------|------------------|
A|-3--------------|-3-----------3--|---------5------|---------5--------|
E|---------3------|---------3------|-3--------------|-3-----------3----|
A dollar a day and a place for my head

                                       4/4
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A|-6---------------|-6-----------6---|-3----------------|-3---------------|
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  A drink to the livin' a toast to the dead

[Verse 11]
4/4
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E|-------------8---|-8----------8---|-8----------8---|
Oh the song of the future has been sung

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D|---------10------|--------10------|
A|-----------------|-8--------------|
E|-8-----------8---|------------8---|
All the battles have been won

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D|--------10------|--------10------|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|-8----------8---|-8----------8---|
On the mountain tops we stand

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D|---------10------|--------10------|
A|-----------------|-8--------------|
E|-8-----------8---|------------8---|
All the world at our command

G|-----------------|----------------|
D|---------10------|--------10------|
A|-----------------|-6--------------|
E|-8-----------8---|------------8---|
We have opened up the soil

G|-----------------|----------------|-------5---5-5-3---|-------5---5-5-3---|
D|-----------------|----------------|-----------------5-|-----------------5-|
A|-----------------|----------------|-3-----------------|-3-----------------|
E|-8---------------|----------------|-------------------|-------------------|
With our teardrops           and our toil

[Verse 12]
4/4
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D|-3---------------------|-3-------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
A|--------------------3--|-------------------------3-|-------3-|-------3-|-------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
For there was a time in this fair land when the      railroad did not run

G|----------5------------|----------5----------------|-------5-|-------5-|----5-3--|
D|-3---------------------|-3-----------------------3-|----5----|----5----|--------5|
A|--------------------3--|---------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
When the wild majestic   mountains stood alone     against the sun

G|----------5------------|----------5----------------|---5-----|---5-----|---5-----|
D|-3---------------------|-3-------------------------|-3-------|-3-------|-3-------|
A|--------------------3--|-------------------------3-|-------3-|-------3-|-------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------|---------|---------|
Long before the           white man and              long before the wheel

G|----------5------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|---5-----|---5-----|
D|-3------------------3--|----------5----------------|----------8------------|-3-------|-3-------|
A|-----------------------|-3-----------------------3-|-6------------------6--|-------3-|-------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|---------|---------|
When the green       dark forest was too silent to be real

G|----------5------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|---5-----|---5-----|
D|-3------------------3--|----------5----------------|----------8------------|-3-------|-3-------|
A|-----------------------|-3-----------------------3-|-6------------------6--|-------3-|-------3-|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|-----------------------|---------|---------|
When the green       dark forest was too silent to be real

                          stop..                      Pause..
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D|-3------------------3--|---------------------------|
A|-----------------------|-3-------------------------|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|
And many are the           dead men....

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A|-----------------------|---------------------------|
E|-----------------------|---------------------------|
Too Silent....          To be real.....

4/4
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D|-----0h1->3------------|-----0h1->3------------|-----0h1->3------------|-----0h1->3------------|
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