Nineteen scarlet roses
The chaplain spread a-round
In the waters of Burrard Inlet
In old Van-couver Town
Where the bridge came tumblin' down
When the bridge came tumblin' down
Nineteen men were drowned
In June or nineteen fifty-eight
In old Vancouver Town
There were seventy-nine men working
To build this brand new bridge
To span the Second Narrows
And connect up with the ridge
Till a big wind hit the bridge
And the bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen men were drowned
And the medical corps couldn't be too sure
Of the rest of the men they found
In among the twisted girders
One man real-ized
How last night he'd been dreaming
And saw be-fore his eyes
The big wind on the rise
And the bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen steel men drowned
And he saw the fright of the darkest night
In old Vancouver Town
With frogmen in the water
By the cutting torches' glow
They fought to save the steel men
From certain death be-low
And pain we'll never know
When the bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen men were drowned
And sixty more that came ashore
So thankful they were found
It often makes you wonder
In strength, who has the edge
The longest steel-beam structure
That spans the highest ridge
Or the men that built the bridge
For the bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen men were drowned
But the other men came back again
To lay the new beams down
Now if you're ever crossing
This mighty bridge sub-lime
And nineteen scarlet roses
Pass be-fore your mind
Remember and be kind
The bridge came tumblin' down
And nineteen men were drowned
So you could ride to the other side
Of old Vancouver Town
So you could ride to the other side of
Old Vancouver Town