There was
a time in this fair land
when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains
stood alone again st the sun
Long before the white man
and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest
was too si lent to be real
But time has no beginnings
an d the history has no bounds
As to this verdant country
they came from all around
They sailed upon her wa terways
and they walked the forest tall
Built the mines, mills,
and the factories
for the good of us all
And when the young man's fancy
was a turning in the spring
The railroad men grew restless
for to hear them hammers ring
Their minds were overflowing
with the visions of their day
And many a fortune lost and won
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
So bring in them workers
and bring up the rails
We gotta lay down the tracks
and tear up the trails
Open her heart and let the lifeblood flow
Gotta get on our way
cause we're moving too slow
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 asleep in
Beyond the dark forest
in a place far away
We are the poor boys
who work upon the railway
Swinging our hammers
in the bright blazing sun
Livin' on that stew and a
drinkin' bad whiskey
Layin' down them tracks
till the long days are done
Yeah, bendin' our backs
till the railroad is done
Now the song of the future has been sung
All the battles have been won,
On the mountaintops we stand,
All the world at our command,
We have opened up the soil,
With our teardrops an d our toil.
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 si lent to be real
you