Lyrics
Send away your prayers hammer down the nails
Encouragement to discard prayers and focus on practical actions, symbolized by hammering nails.
Do the same tomorrow a penny for your pain
Continuation of mundane, repetitive tasks, offering little reward ("a penny for your pain").
Another mile of rails another unblessed day
Continued labor with no recognition or blessing, representing a monotonous existence.
Your back is bent, fingers hurt
Physical toll of hard work: bent back, sore fingers.
Mouth is full of dirt
Struggle and hardship depicted metaphorically as having a mouth full of dirt.
Over mountain and lakes so blue
A journey over challenging terrains, symbolizing hardships encountered.
We will take the iron mule
Commitment to overcoming difficulties ("iron mule") to reach a goal.
The railway must come through
Determination to build a railway despite obstacles.
Inch by inch, like a snail so slow
Slow progress akin to a snail, but eventual success anticipated.
But soon the iron mule will glow
Promise of future success and prosperity symbolized by the glowing "iron mule."
From the southern shores
Referencing the starting point of the railway project.
To the harbours of the north
Extending the railway project to distant places.
21 and old winter wind is cold
Describing the harshness of winter at the age of 21.
Lungs they bleed for the iron mule
Sacrifices made (bleeding lungs) for the sake of the "iron mule."
To make way for the new
Clearing the path for progress and the new.
Fever makes you weak
Fever weakening due to the strain of work.
You cry yourself to sleep
Emotional toll illustrated by crying oneself to sleep.
Arms they keep on pounding on
Continued physical effort despite hardships.
Sledge it weighs a ton
Physical burden symbolized by a heavy sledgehammer.
Over mountain and lakes so blue
Reiteration of the challenging journey.
We will take the iron mule
Reaffirmation of determination to succeed despite difficulties.
In a year and a day
Setting a specific timeline for the completion of the railway.
The railway must come through
Reiteration of the necessity of the railway's completion within the specified time.
Inch by inch, like a snail so slow
Emphasis on slow progress but eventual achievement.
But soon the iron mule will glow
Anticipation of the bright future when the "iron mule" is successful.
From the southern shores
Revisiting the starting point of the railway project.
To the harbours of the north
Extending the railway's completion to different locations.
21 and old winter wind is cold
Reiteration of the harshness of winter at the age of 21.
Lungs they bleed for the iron mule
Further sacrifices made (bleeding lungs) for progress.
To make way for the new
Making way for the new despite challenges.
Fever makes you weak
Weakness caused by fever due to extreme exertion.
You cry yourself to sleep
Emotional distress leading to tears before sleep.
Arms they keep on pounding on
Continued physical effort despite emotional and physical strains.
Sledge it weighs a ton
Highlighting the enduring burden of heavy work equipment.
Over mountain and lakes so blue
Restating the challenging journey undertaken.
We will take the iron mule
Commitment to overcoming obstacles for the completion of the railway.
In a year and a day
Reaffirming the specified time for the railway's completion.
The railway must come through
Reiterating the urgency of completing the railway within the given time frame.
Inch by inch, like a snail so slow
Emphasis on slow progress but eventual departure ("iron mule will go").
But soon the iron mule will go
Implying the departure or completion of the "iron mule" soon.
In sun and rain from now and ever on
Commitment to continue through all weather conditions and time.
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