The Navigator's Tale by Matt Kenrick (2025) I was but a lad when I took up the spade A pick in me hand and a ditch to be made The foreman he told me, “Dig deep, dig true” And the water will follow, long after you Chorus: So, dig, boys, dig, through the rock and clay For a shilling a week and a bed made of hay The boats will glide where the hard men fell Was it worth it? Only time will tell Me hands are like leather, me back’s fit to break I’ve sweat in the tunnels, I’ve froze by the lake I’ve seen good men buried, I’ve watched rivers change But progress don’t listen, and toil don’t complain Chorus The gentry will ride by, they’ll praise what they see But they’ll never know the blood was shed here by me The bridges, the lock gates, the cuts through the land Were carved by the strong with a shovel in hand Chorus I dream of the day when I lay down me tools When me bones rest easy by still water pools But the call of the work is the life that I know And I’ll die with a pick axe, still striking the stone This song of one of a number of excellent canal-related songs written by Matt Kenrick who has kindly provided the lyrics. Recording to follow. Click on the logo to download a pdf of the song as provided by Matt. This provides all the chords and playing advice. It will open in a new window.