Unit 2
The Canadian Pacific Railroad
Lesson 8
Watch the first 2m30s of the video
To get a better understanding of the conditions workers faced building the CPR, listen and analyze the Gordon Lightfoot's song, “Canadian Railroad Trilogy”
Gordon Lightfoot (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s. He is often referred to as Canada's greatest songwriter and is known internationally as a folk-rock legend.
Lightfoot's Canadian Railroad Trilogy" was written upon request by the CBC for its special broadcast on January 1, 1967. The CBC wanted a special song to commemorate the start of Canada's centennial year. The song provides the listener with two very different images about the glory and hardships of building the railway during the 1800s.
1) Which images painted by the lyrics of the song stood out the most to you? Why?
2) Analyze some of the lyrics
1. "There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run, when the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun"
2. "And when the young man's fancy was turnin' to the spring, the railroad men grew restless for to hear the hammers ring"
3. “gotta get on our way 'cause we're movin' too slow"
4. " bendin' our backs 'til the long days are done"
5. " a dollar a day and a place for my head"
6. "Oh the song of the future has been sung"
7. "We have opened up the soil, with our teardrops and our toil"