LIFE IS LIKE A
MOUNTAIN RAILROAD
(Life's Railway to Heaven)
Lyrics: M. E. Abbey Music: Charles D Tillman
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Notation, youTube keys & Time-signatures need to be checked.
As you may find as you listen to the youTube videos, some performers do this number in 3/4 time (3 beats per bar), while others do it in 4/4 time (4 beats per bar).
Because of this duality, both accordion notations are given below. The button numbers are identical in the two versions ... only the note duration (and hence the rhythm) is slightly different.
As you may find as you listen to the youTube videos, some performers do this number in 3/4 time (3 beats per bar), while others do it in 4/4 time (4 beats per bar).
Because of this duality, both accordion notations are given below. The button numbers are identical in the two versions ... only the note duration (and hence the rhythm) is slightly different.
Accordion Notation (In 3/4 time)
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Beats per bar = 3
Beat symbol = Dot (or equivalent) |
Either row (high) = Buttons 5 to 8
Inside row (low) = Buttons 2 to 5 plus o3* |
Verse 1 (of 3)
"7 "7 | ;7 "6 "7* "7 | .7* .6 "6 "6 | ;6 "7* "6 "5* | :5
"4 "4 | ;4 "3 "3* "4 | .3* .3 "3 "3 | ;3 "3* "3 "o3* | :2
Life is like a moun-tain rail-road with an en - gi - neer that's brave
'"5 '5 | ;6 "5 "6 "7* | "7 ;7 '"6 '6 | ;7* "7 * "6 "7 | :7*
'"2 '2 | ;3 "2 "3 "3* | "4 ;4 '"3 '3 | ;3* "3* "3 "4 | :3*
We must make this run suc - cess-ful from the cra - dle to the grave
"7 "7 | ;7 "6 "7* "7 | .7* .6 '"6 '6 | ;6 "7* '"6 '5* | :5
"4 "4 | ;4 "3 "3* "4 | .3* . 3 '"3 '3 | ;3 "3* '"3 'o3* | :2
Watch the curves, the fills, the tun - nels. Nev - er fal - ter, nev - er quail
"5 "5 | ;6 "5 "6 "7* | "7 ;7 '"6 '7* | ;7 "6 '"7* '7* | :6
"2 "2 | ;3 "2 "3 "3* | "4 ;4 '"3 '3* | ;4 "3 '"3* '3* | :3
Keep your hands up - on the throt-tle and your eye up - on the rail
Refrain:
"8* "8* | ;8* "8* "6 "7* | . 7 .7 "8 "8 | ;8 "7 "7* "6 | :7*
"4* "4* | ;4* "4* "3 "3* | .4 .4 "5 "5 | ;5 "4 "3* "3 | :3*
Bless-ed Sav - iour there to guide us till we reach that bliss-ful shore
"7 "8* | ;8 "7 "7* "6 | .5* .6 "6 "7* | ;7 "6 "7* "7* | :6
"4 "4* | ;5 "4 "3* "3 | .o3* .3 "3 "3* | ;4 "3 "3* "3* | :3
And the an - gels there to join us in God's grace for ev - er - more
Accordion Notation (In 4/4 time)
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Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot (or equivalent) |
Either row (high) = Buttons 5 to 8
Inside row (low) = Buttons 2 to 5 plus o3* |
Verse 1 (of 3)
"7 "7 | .;7 "6 "7* "7 | "7* .;6 "6 "6 | .;6 "7* "6 "5* | .:5
"4 "4 | .;4 "3 "3* "4 | "3* .;3 "3 "3 | .;3 "3* "3 "o3* | .:2
Life is like a moun-tain rail-road with an en - gi - neer that's brave
"5 "5 | .;6 "5 "6 "7* | "7 .;7 "6 "6 | .;7* "7 * "6 "7 | .:7*
"2 "2 | .;3 "2 "3 "3* | "4 .;4 "3 "3 | .;3* "3* "3 "4 | .:3*
We must make this run suc - cess-ful from the cra - dle to the grave
"7 "7 | .;7 "6 "7* "7 | "7* .;6 "6 "6 | .;6 "7* "6 "5* | .:5
"4 "4 | .;4 "3 "3* "4 | "3* .;3 "3 "3 | .;3 "3* "3 "o3* | .:2
Watch the curves, the fills, the tun - nels Nev - er fal - ter, nev - er quail
"5 "5 | .;6 "5 "6 "7* | "7 .;7 "6 "7* | .;7 "6 '"7* '7* | .:6
"2 "2 | .;3 "2 "3 "3* | "4 .;4 "3 "3* | .;4 "3 '"3* '3* | .:3
Keep your hands up - on the throt-tle and your eye up - on the rail
Refrain:
"8* "8* | .;8* "8* "6 "7* | "7 .;7 "8 "8 | .;8 "7 "7* "6 | .:7*
"4* "4* | .;4* "4* "3 "3* | "4 .;4 "5 "5 | .;5 "4 "3* "3 | .:3*
Bless-ed Sav - iour there to guide us till we reach that bliss-ful shore
"7 "8* | .;8 "7 "7* "6 | .5* .;6 "6 "7* | .;7 "6 "7* "7* | .:6
"4 "4* | .;5 "4 "3* "3 | .o3* .;3 "3 "3* | .;4 "3 "3* "3* | .:3
And the an - gels there to join us in God's grace for ev - er - more
"7 "7 | .;7 "6 "7* "7 | "7* .;6 "6 "6 | .;6 "7* "6 "5* | .:5
"4 "4 | .;4 "3 "3* "4 | "3* .;3 "3 "3 | .;3 "3* "3 "o3* | .:2
Life is like a moun-tain rail-road with an en - gi - neer that's brave
"5 "5 | .;6 "5 "6 "7* | "7 .;7 "6 "6 | .;7* "7 * "6 "7 | .:7*
"2 "2 | .;3 "2 "3 "3* | "4 .;4 "3 "3 | .;3* "3* "3 "4 | .:3*
We must make this run suc - cess-ful from the cra - dle to the grave
"7 "7 | .;7 "6 "7* "7 | "7* .;6 "6 "6 | .;6 "7* "6 "5* | .:5
"4 "4 | .;4 "3 "3* "4 | "3* .;3 "3 "3 | .;3 "3* "3 "o3* | .:2
Watch the curves, the fills, the tun - nels Nev - er fal - ter, nev - er quail
"5 "5 | .;6 "5 "6 "7* | "7 .;7 "6 "7* | .;7 "6 '"7* '7* | .:6
"2 "2 | .;3 "2 "3 "3* | "4 .;4 "3 "3* | .;4 "3 '"3* '3* | .:3
Keep your hands up - on the throt-tle and your eye up - on the rail
Refrain:
"8* "8* | .;8* "8* "6 "7* | "7 .;7 "8 "8 | .;8 "7 "7* "6 | .:7*
"4* "4* | .;4* "4* "3 "3* | "4 .;4 "5 "5 | .;5 "4 "3* "3 | .:3*
Bless-ed Sav - iour there to guide us till we reach that bliss-ful shore
"7 "8* | .;8 "7 "7* "6 | .5* .;6 "6 "7* | .;7 "6 "7* "7* | .:6
"4 "4* | .;5 "4 "3* "3 | .o3* .;3 "3 "3* | .;4 "3 "3* "3* | .:3
And the an - gels there to join us in God's grace for ev - er - more
Embedded youTube VIDEOS
TIME SIGNATURES: Since there are two different versions (3/4 time and 4/4 time), it is not surprising that some videos are in one and some in the other. I've tried to determine which videos are in which, but I'm not very good at it yet (some guess work) - hence the question marks in each video. The 4/4 version, by replacing the ('"note 'note) pairs with ("note "note) pairs, has a slightly simpler rhythm. Some of the youTube videos that (I think are) in 3/4 time do the same thing.
KEYS: Total of 15 videos in following keys: Bb=1 B=1 D=3 E=4 G=5 G,D=1
TIME SIGNATURES: Since there are two different versions (3/4 time and 4/4 time), it is not surprising that some videos are in one and some in the other. I've tried to determine which videos are in which, but I'm not very good at it yet (some guess work) - hence the question marks in each video. The 4/4 version, by replacing the ('"note 'note) pairs with ("note "note) pairs, has a slightly simpler rhythm. Some of the youTube videos that (I think are) in 3/4 time do the same thing.
KEYS: Total of 15 videos in following keys: Bb=1 B=1 D=3 E=4 G=5 G,D=1
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Key: G
Singer: Perry Linthorne Perry posted this as a project he did for his father, Calvin Linthorne of Bonavista (NL). The video shows railway scenes from Newfoundland. Thank you Perry...Great singing and posting! ( 4/4 time ? ) |
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Key: D
Group: Singalong Jubilee (CBC) Singers: Fred McKenna Patrician Anne McKinnon Posted by: vinyhilist Recorded in 1972 ( 3/4 time ? ) |
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Key: Bb
Singer: Roy Acuff Posted by: Kyle Johnson ( 4/4 time ? ) |
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Key: E
Singer: George Beverly Shea Posted by: George Beverly Shea - Topic ( 3/4 time ? ) |
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Key: D
Singer: W. D. Hay? Posted by: wdhay ( 4/4 time ? ) |
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Key: G
Singer: Matthew ? Posted by: SirCoughsalot Singing begins at time 0:47 ( 3/4 time ? ) |
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Key: G
Singer: Brad Paisley Posted by: Mnogomusyki ( 4/4 time ? ) |
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Key: D
Singer: Patsy Cline Posted by: forgetmenever6 ( 4/4 time ? ) |
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Key: E
Singers: Buddy Mullins, Joy Gardner and Stephen Hill Posted by: GaitherVEVO ( 4/4 time ? ) |
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Key: B
Singer: Johnny Cash Posted by: watchman4wales ( 3/4 time ? ) |
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Key: G from time 0 to 1:14
D from 1:15 to End Group: The Statler Brothers Posted by: piglyglyn ( 3/4 time ? ) |
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Key: E
Singer: George Hamilton IV Posted by: Orvil MOrris ( 3/4 time ? ) |
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Key: E
Singer: Lecil Travis Martin (Boxcar Willie) Posted by: IrishMusicCountry ( 4/4 time? ) |
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Key: G
Accordionist: Bob Harmonica: Hector Vocals: Matt Posted by: Matthew Vaughan ( 3/4 time ? ) |
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Key: G
Group: ? Vocals: Ron ? Fiddle: Jim Marshall Posted by: mountnmonkey ( 4/4 time ? ) |
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Background Materials, Information & Links
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Lyrics
verse 1 Refrain verse 2 verse 3 verse 4 |
The refrain is sung after each verse, and with an additional phrase at end.
Many performances include only two or three of the verses. Life is like a mountain railroad With an engineer that's brave We must make this run successful From the cradle to the grave Heed the curves and watch the tunnels Never falter, never fail Keep your hands upon the throttle And your eye upon the rail Blessed Saviour there to guide us Till we reach that blissful shore And the angels there to join us In God's grace forevermore You will roll up grades of trial; You will cross the bridge of strife; See that Christ is your conductor On this lightning train of life; Always mindful of obstruction, Do your duty, never fail; Keep your hand upon the throttle, And your eye upon the rail. You will often find obstructions, Look for storms and wind and rain; On a fill, or curve, or trestle They will almost ditch your train; Put your trust alone in Jesus, Never falter, never fail; Keep your hand upon the throttle, And your eye upon the rail. As you roll across the trestle Spanning Jordan's swelling tide You will reach the Union Depot Into which your train will ride There you'll meet the superintendent God the father, God the son With a happy joyous greeting Weary pilgrim, welcome home Final refrain, ending with the phrase: In God's grace forevermore |
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Background Links:
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Click HERE for (wikipedia) biographical info on Charles Davis Tillman,
and the gospel song "Life's Railway to Heaven" (also known as "Life is Like a Mountain Railroad"). |