Big River

Big River - Jimmy Nail

Walking on cobble stone little bits of skin and bone

Jumping on the tram car for a ride

I can remember then I was just a boy of ten

Hanging out along the old quayside

Not all the capstans and the cargo boats

And stevadores 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 a boy 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

Thats not now thats not now

My father was a working man

He earned our living with his hands

He had to cross the river every day

He picked up a union card out of the neptune yard

Mouths to feed and the bills to pay

Then came a time for him to sail across the sea

And far away

Finally when the war was won

You brought him home and home he stayed

And when his days were done under a golden sun

You carried him 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

Thats not now

Thats not now

Thats not now

The neptune was the last to go

I heard it on my radio

And then they played the latest number one

But what do they do all day

And what are they supposed to say

What does a father tell his son

If you believed that theres a bond between our future

And our past

Then try to hold on to what we had

We build them strong we built to last

Cause this is a mighty town

Its built upon solid ground

And everything they tried so hard to kill

We will rebuild

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

Thats not now

This is a big river

And in my heart I know it will rise again

The river will rise again