Down the Line

from On the Rise by Whiskeyjack

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about

Written by: Aaron Purdy

lyrics

The ash falls on the pine
Come and follow me down the line

Early one May, they passed our way
With a whistle outside the door
He looked in my eye and said
I seen that you’ve tried
To get out of this town before

Where the aspen meets the pine
Come and follow me down the line

The steam rolling high fills the spirit with wide
Visions of lands afar
Over the peaks where the warm breeze speaks
Of waves upon the shore

So I climbed on board with willing accord
To work in laying the iron
Driving the spike from dawn until night
I’d leave that valley in scorn

Where the aspen meets the pine
I went to work far down the line

John A. had a plan and each willing young man
Was sent to work up the rail
But old Mac didn’t feel the hot blast at his heels
That shook my heart beyond the pale

Blood and sweat fell from that mountainous hell
As our numbers slowly declined
One soul was gone for each mile we moved on
and I prayed the next wouldn’t be mine

I prayed amongst the pine
That I wouldn’t fall upon the line

Early one morn, he passed by my door
When the frost was still fresh on the ground
I was up on the line, doing my time,
When he brought that old mountain down

He looked in my eye and said I see that you’re tired
Of living this navvie life,
So come climb on board, and I’ll point you toward
The only escape from this strife

Where the aspen meets the pine,
Come and follow me down the line
The ash falls on the pine
Come and follow me down the line

credits

from On the Rise, released January 23, 2014
Ryan Jansonius: Backing Vocals
Michael Kissinger: Mandolin, Bodhran, Octave Fiddle, Percussion
Meghan McMaster: Vocals
David Morin: Backing Vocals
Aaron Purdy: Lyrics, Vocals, Guitar

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Whiskeyjack Calgary, Alberta

Whiskeyjack is a Calgary based folk band influenced by many styles of music including bluegrass, rock, and jazz.

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