Driving The Last Spike

Leaving my family behind me
Not knowing what lay ahead
Waving goodbye as I left 'em in tears
Remembering all we'd saidI looked to the sky, I offered my prayers
I asked Him for guidance and strength
But the simple beliefs of a simple man
Lay in His hands and on my head, my headI gave everything that they wanted
But still they wanted more
We sweat and we toiled
Good men lost their lives
Don't think they knew what forI sold them my heart, I sold them my soul
I gave everything I had
Oh, but they couldn't break my spirit
My dignity fought back, fight backCan you hear me? Can you see?
Don't you hear me? Don't you see?We worked in gangs for all we were worth
The young boys pullin' the wagons
We were diggin' the tunnels, shiftin' the earth
It was then that it happenedWell, no one knew how the cracks appeared
But as it fell they all disappeared
Stone fell like rainCan you hear me? Can you see?
Don't you hear me? Can you breathe?
(Can you breathe?)The smoke cleared, the dust it settled
No one knew how many had died
All around there were broken men
They'd said, it was safe, they'd liedYou could hear the cries, you could smell the fear
But good fortune that day was mine
And it occurred to me the heart of a good man
It seems is hard to findCan you hear me? Can you see?
Don't you hear me? Don't you see?We worked, how we worked
Like the devil for our pay
Through the wind, through the snow
And through the rainBlasting and cutting
Through God's country like a knife
Sweat stingin' my eyes
There has to be a better lifeOh, but I can hear my children's cry
And I can see the tears in their eyes
Memories of those I've left behind
Still ringin' in my earsWill I ever go back again?
Will I ever see her face again?
Oh, I'll never forget that night
As they waved goodbye to their fathersWe came from the North, well, we came from the South
With picks and with spades and a new kind of order
Showing no fear of what lies up ahead
They'll never see the likes of us againDriving the last spike
Liftin' and layin' the track
With blistering hands
The sun's burnin' your backOh, but I can hear my children's cry
I can see the tears in their eyes
Memories of those I've left behind
Still ringin' in my earsWell, I'll always remember that night
As they waved goodbye to their fathersWe followed the rail, we slept under the stars
Digging in darkness and living with danger
Showin' no fear of what lies up ahead
They'll never see the likes of us againCan you hear me? Can you see?
Don't you hear me? Don't you see?
(Don't you hear me? Don't you see?)