Big River – Jimmy Nail

See below to hear and see him playing – but the song is short of a verse!

Can you listen to this song written and performed by Jimmy Nail and supply the missing words? The song is in good standard English and recalls a time when the river Tyne was a key contributor to industry and the British economy.

Walking on cobblestones, little bits of skin and bone
Jumping on the tramcar ………………. 1
I can remember then, I ………………….. 2
Hanging out around the ……………. 3
Now all the capstans and the ……………… 4
And …………………. 5
To where all the old ships go
But …………………… 6.

‘Cos that was when coal was king,
The river was …………… 7
And I was just a boy, but ……………….. 8,
The coaly Tyne.

For this was a big river,
I want you …………………. 9
This was a big river, but that ……………. 10,
That’s not now, that’s not now.

My father was a working man,
He earned ……………….. 11
He had to cross the river every day
He picked up a union card out of the Neptune yard
Mouths ……………………………. 12
There came a time ……………………. 13
And far away
Finally when that ……………….. 14
You ………………….. 15.

And when his days were done, under a golden sun
You took him back ……………………… 16,
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.

The Neptune was the last to go,
I heard it on my radio
And then they played the ……………………. 17
But what do they ……………… 18
And what are they ……………… 19
What ………………… 20
If you believe that there’s a bond between our future
And our past,
Try to …………………… 21,
We …………………… 22.

‘Cause this is a mighty town,
Built ………………… 23
And everything they’ve …………………. 24,
We ………………… 25.

For this was a big river.
I want you all to know that I’m so very proud
This was a big river, but that was long ago,
That’s not now.
This is a big river,
And in my heart I know it will rise again
The river will rise again.

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