Big River Songtext

von Jimmy Nail

Walking on cobblestone
Little bits of skin and bone
Jumping on a tramcar for a ride
I can remember then
Cause I wsa just a boy of ten
Hanging around the old quayside
Now all the capstans and the cargo boats and stevedores are gone
To where all the old ships go
But memories just like the seas live on
That was when coal was king
The river was a living thing
And I was just aboy but it was mine
The coaly Tyne

For this was a big river
I want you all to know that I was proud
This was a big river
But that was long ago that's not now
That's not now

My father was a working man
He earned our living with his hands
Her had to cross the river everyday
He picked up a union card
Out of the Neptune yard
Mouths to feed and bills to pay
There came a time for him to sail across the seas and far away
And finally when that war was won
You brought him home and home he stayed
And when his days were done
Under a golden sun
You took him back to where he longed to be
Back to the sea

For this was a big river
I want you all to know that I was proud
This was a big river
But that was long ago that's not now
That's not now

The Neptune was the last to go
I heard it on my radio
Then they played the latest number one
But what do they do all day
What are they supposed to say
What does a father tell his son
If you believe that there's a bond between our future and our past
Then try to hold on to what we have
We built them strong we bulit to last
Cause this is a mighty town
Built upon a solid ground
And everything they've tried so hard to kill
We will rebuild

Cause this is a big river
I want you all to know
That I'm so very proud
For this was a big river
But that was long ago that's not now
And this is a big big river
And in my heart I know
It will rise again
The river will rise again