Small boys love to watch men at work and I was no exception. I used to travel to school by train as a kid, often on my own, and the ‘gangers’ working on the rails were of great interest. This is another song about the nature of work, written several years after Stonecracker John.

 

 

Steel rails, reaching to the skyline

Big nails, weigh my pockets down

Old watch, stretching on a short chain

Tells me that we’ll soon be going home

‘Cos I’ve done my time

Laying my life on the line

 

Bright sound, from the whistle that I’m holding

Red flag, and my mates lay hammers by

Boat train, thundering down the main line

Blasting grit into our faces as it flies

That’s how we spend our time

Laying our lives on the line

 

Backs strain, lifting up the long rails

Red steel, hasn’t borne a train

Black pine, ties new metal to the old earth

As I’m tied by ropes of love to bear the pain

While I serve my time

Laying my life on the line

 

Grey smoke, over the embankment

Red brick, the cottage where I stay

Two kids, chattering in the doorway

Lead me in to share the best part of the day

‘Cos I’ve done my time

Laying my life on the line

 

Pillow, feels as rocky as the road bed

Night mail, shakes the china on the stand

Two hours, then again it will be morning

But I lie awake, ‘cos I can’t understand

How come I’ve spent so much time

Snow and wind, rain or shine

Laying my life on the line

 

Copyright  © 1997 Martin Graebe