{ capo on 3rd fret } 
 
 
D              G                D
There was a time in this fair land when the railroads did not run 
    D         G          G6
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun 
  D          G        D
And long before the white man and long before the wheel 
           A         C        D   Am7   D  Am7   D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real 
 
 
D           G        D
But time has no beginnings and history has no bounds 
 D            G       G6
As to this verdant country they came from all around 
  D           G           D
They sailed upon her waterways and they walked the forests tall 
                        A            C       D  Am7   D Am7
And built the mines the mills and the factories for the good of us all 
 
 
D              G     D
And when the young man's fancy was turning in the spring 
  D           G          G6
The railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring 
   D         G           D
Their minds were overflowing with the visions of the day 
           A          C          D
With many a fortune won and lost and many a debt to pay... For they 
 
 
A                Em
Looked in the future and what did they see 
       C                D
They saw an iron road runnin' from the sea to the sea 
A              Em
Bringin the goods to a young growin' land 
   C               D
All up from the seaports and into her hands 
 
 
   Am7     D    Am7           D
Look away said they across this mighty land 
     Am7    D        Am7      D
From the eastern shore to the western strand 
 
 
A                Em
Bring in the workers and bring up the rails  
       C               D
We've gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails 
A              Em
Open 'er heart let the lifeblood 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've gotta lay down the tracks and tear up the trails 
A              Em
Open 'er heart let the lifeblood flow 
   C                 D
Gotta get on our way cause we're moving too slow 
C                A            A7/G
Get on our way cause we're movin' too slow 
 
 
 D               G       A7
Behind the blue Rockies the sun is declinin' 
  D          G         E           A  A7
The stars they come stealin' at the close of the day 
D                 G           A7     D
Across the wide prairie our loved ones lie sleeping 
D         G          A7sus4   D
Beyond the dark oceans in a place far away 
 
 
D             G        A7
We are the navies who work upon the railway  
D       G       E           A  A7
Swingin our hammers in the bright blazin' sun 
D             G        A7
Livin' on stew and drinking bad whiskey 
D       G            A7sus4         D
Bendin' our old backs till the long days are done 
 
 
D             G        A7
We are the navies who work upon the railway  
D       G       E           A  A7
Swingin our hammers in the bright blazin' sun 
D              G       A7
Layin' down track and buildin' the bridges 
D                    A7sus4         D
Bendin' our old backs till 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 Gaspe 
C               D
Swingin' our hammers and drawin' our pay 
 
 
A             Em
Drivin' 'em in and tyin' 'em 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              A7
A drink to the livin' a toast to the dead 
 
 
    D       Am7                               D
Oh the song of the future has been sung, all the battles have been won  
      Am7                              D
O'er the mountain tops we stand, all the world at our command 
    Am7       D          Am7              A
We have opened up this soil with our teardrops...and our toil...  For there 
 
 
D           G               D
Was a time in this fair land when the railroads did not run 
    D         G          G6
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun 
  D          G        D
And long before the white man and long before the wheel 
           A         C        D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real 
           A         C        D
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real 
         A      {n/c} C   Cmaj7           D7
And many are the dead men     too silent...      to be real