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 around

the old quayside

Now all the

capstans and

the cargo boats

and stevedores

are gone

To where all the

old ships go

but memories just

like the seas live on

'Cos 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

That's not now,

that's 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 seas

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 took him back 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,

that's not now

That's not now

That's 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 believe

that there's a

bond between

our future

and our past

Then try to hold on

to what we had

We built

them strong

We built to last

'Cos this is

a mighty town

It's 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

That's not now

This is a

big big river

and in my heart

I know it will

rise again

The river will

rise again...