Gordon Lightfoot – Canadian Railroad Trilogy (Guitar)

Capo 3
Key
-
Versions (3)

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Chords

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tabbed by: ClassicManiac DIAGRAMS for the maj7 chords:
    Dmaj7    Cmaj7
e|----2--------0-----|
B|----2--------0-----|
G|----2--------0-----|
D|----0--------2-----|
A|-------------3-----|
E|----X--------X-----|
CAPO 3 (to be in key with Ol' Gord)
D                   G                       D
There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run

         Dmaj7         G               A
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun

D               G             D
Long before the white man and long before the wheel

         D          A              C            D      Am  D  Am  D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real

    D             G                D
But time has no beginnings and the history has no bounds

   Dmaj7           G            A
As to this verdant country they came from all around

     D               G                  D
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall

          D                        A                 C          D     Am  D  Am  D
Built the mines, the mills and the factories for the good of us all

    D                    G         D
And when the young man's fancy had turned into the spring

    Dmaj7             G               A
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring

      D              G                D
Their minds were overflowing with the visions of their day

     D              A                C              D
With many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to pay

         A                        Em
For they looked in the future and what did they see

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

A                       Em
Bringing the goods to a young growing land

    C                        D
All up from the seaports and into their hands

       C       D      C                D
Look away said they across this mighty land

         C       D            C       D
From the eastern shore to the western strand

A                        Em
Bring in the workers and bring up the rails

         C                       D
We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails

A                      Em
Open her heart let the life blood flow

      C                           D
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow

A                        Em
Bring in the workers and bring up the rails

         C                       D
We gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails

A                      Em
Open her heart let the life blood flow

      C                           D
Gotta get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow

C                           A                (fadeout A)
Get on our way 'cause we're moving too slow

  D                         G        A
Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declining

    D               G               E            A   A7
The stars they come stealing at the close of the day

D               D7          G              A
Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping

D               G                 A    D
Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away

D                      G                 A
We are the navvies who work upon the railway

D            G              E              A   A7
Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing sun

D         D7       G            A
Living on stew and drinking bad whiskey

D                 G            A        D
Bending our backs til the long days are done

D                      G                 A
We are the navvies who work upon the railway

D            G              E              A   A7
Swinging our hammers in the bright blazing sun

D           D7        G                A
Laying down track and building the bridges

D                     G           A           D
Bending our old backs til the railroad...  is done

   A                      Em
So over the mountains and over the plains

C                   D
Into the muskeg and into the rain

A                           Em
Up the St. Lawrence all the way to Gaspé

C                        D
Swinging our hammers and drawing our pay

A                  Em
Drivin' 'em in and tying them down

 C                        D
Away to the bunkhouse and into the town

  A                  Em
A dollar a day and a place for my head

  C                      A
A drink to the living, a toast to the dead

       D           Am              D
Oh the song of the future has been sung

        Am                D
All the battles have been won

       Am               D
On the mountain tops we stand

        Am           D
All the world at our command

        Am            D
We have opened up her soil

             Am (hit once!)         A
With our teardrops...       and our toil

          D             G                       D
For there was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run

         Dmaj7         G               A
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun

D               G             D
Long before the white man and long before the wheel

         D          A              C            D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real

         D          A              C            D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real

    D            A (let ring... pause)
And many are the dead men…

    C     Cmaj7         D      Am D   Am D
too silent...     to be real