We woke in the morning,
Start the day,
We never needed to
Be told we might be late,
Never wished time away.
My dad worked the valley,
Built the line.
He never wanted to be
Forced to understand,
Railway time changes time.
Something he began to realise:
The more you watch an hour,
The more it flies.
Town took half the mountain.
Blown to rock,
And what they give us
In return for history:
Three more hands on the clock.
They say that the sundial's
Spinning lies!
We're 'better off
Depending on the company':
Time won't wait on the wise!
Trapped time's only trapped
To be controlled:
The hours of working men
Are bought and sold.
Rise with the sun, dear.
Sleep with the moon, dear.
In comes the railway.
'Godspeed the railway!"
Can't stop the railway
Taking our time.
Rise with the sun, dear.
Sleep with the stars, dear.
In comes the railway.
'God save the railway!"
For god's sake, the railway's
Taking our time.
Thus the whirligig of time
Reveals:
The revolution comes on Iron
And steel!
All hail the railway!
'Godspeed the railway!"
Can't stop the railway
Taking our time.