More songs by Gordon Lightfoot

This file is part of a collection that (moreso than the rest of the site) are not meant to be detailed or accurate transcriptions of the original recordings. They're just some simple chord charts that I made for my own use, some of them my own arrangements.
- T-rev

STEEL RAIL BLUES by Gordon Lightfoot www.lightfoot.ca
From his 1966 album Lightfoot!
Written by Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr.
Transcribed by T-rev www.t-rev.net
Capo 6 part

       G
Well I got my mail late last night
                         G7                C
A letter from a girl who found the time to write
                                      G
To her lonesome boy somewheres in the night
    C
She sent me a railroad ticket too
                         G
To take me to her lovin' arms
                        Em
      And the big steel rail
                     D                 G  D/F#  Em  D
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

       G
Well I been out here many long days
                           G7              C
Haven't found a place that I could call my own
                                 G
Not a two-bit bed to lay my body on
  C
I been stood up, I been shook down
                        G
I been dragged into the sand
                        Em
      And the big steel rail
                     D                 G  D/F#  Em  D
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

            C  Bm  Em      G   C Bm Em D G
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh

       G
Well I been uptight most every night
                  G7                  C
Walkin' along the streets of this old town
                                        G
Not a friend around to tell my troubles to
   C
My good old car she done broke down
                           G
'Cause I drove it into the ground
                        Em
      And the big steel rail
                     D                 G  D/F#  Em  D
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

       G
Well I look over yonder across the plain
                          G7                C
The big drive wheels are poundin' along the ground
                                        G
Gonna get on board and I'll be homeward bound
    C
Now I ain't had a home-cooked meal
                    G
And Lord I need one now
                        Em
      And the big steel rail
                     D                 G  D/F#  Em  D
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

            C  Bm  Em      G   C Bm Em D G
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh

       G
Well a-here I am with my head in the sand
                          G7                    C
Standin' on the broad highway, would you give a ride
                                            G
To a lonesome boy who missed the train last night
  C
I went in town for one last round
                         G
And I gambled my ticket away
                        Em
      And the big steel rail
                     D                 G  D/F#  Em  D
      Won't carry me home to the one I love

            C  Bm  Em      G   C Bm Em D G  G7
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh
            C  Bm  Em      G   C Bm Em D G
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh yeeheehee

Transcribed 2020-05-16 by T-rev
More tab available at www.t-rev.net

320003 G
320001 G7
332010 C  (C/G)
022000 Em
x00232 D  (D/A)
200232 D/F#
224432 Bm (Bm/F#)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

STEEL RAIL BLUES by Gordon Lightfoot www.lightfoot.ca
From his 1966 album Lightfoot!
Written by Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr.
Transcribed by T-rev www.t-rev.net
Capo 1 part

       C
Well I got my mail late last night
                         C7                F
A letter from a girl who found the time to write
                                      C
To her lonesome boy somewheres in the night
    F
She sent me a railroad ticket too
                         C
To take me to her lovin' arms
                        Am
      And the big steel rail
                     G                 C  G/B  Am  G
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

       C
Well I been out here many long days
                           C7              F
Haven't found a place that I could call my own
                                 C
Not a two-bit bed to lay my body on
  F
I been stood up, I been shook down
                        C
I been dragged into the sand
                        Am
      And the big steel rail
                     G                 C  G/B  Am  G
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

            F  Em  Am      C   F Em Am G C
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh

       C
Well I been uptight most every night
                  C7                  F
Walkin' along the streets of this old town
                                        C
Not a friend around to tell my troubles to
   F
My good old car she done broke down
                           C
'Cause I drove it into the ground
                        Am
      And the big steel rail
                     G                 C  G/B  Am  G
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

       C
Well I look over yonder across the plain
                          C7                F
The big drive wheels are poundin' along the ground
                                        C
Gonna get on board and I'll be homeward bound
    F
Now I ain't had a home-cooked meal
                    C
And Lord I need one now
                        Am
      And the big steel rail
                     G                 C  G/B  Am  G
      Gonna carry me home to the one I love

            F  Em  Am      C   F Em Am G C
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh

       C
Well a-here I am with my head in the sand
                          C7                    F
Standin' on the broad highway, would you give a ride
                                            C
To a lonesome boy who missed the train last night
  F
I went in town for one last round
                         C
And I gambled my ticket away
                        Am
      And the big steel rail
                     G                 C  G/B  Am  G
      Won't carry me home to the one I love

            F  Em  Am      C   F Em Am G C  C7
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh
            F  Em  Am      C   F Em Am G C
            Ooooooooh eeheehee ooooooooooh yeeheehee

Transcribed 2020-05-16 by T-rev
More tab available at www.t-rev.net

332010 C  (C/G)
x32310 C7
x33211 F  (F/C)
002210 Am (Am/E)
320003 G
x20003 G/B
x22000 Em (Em/B)

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