Driving the Last Spike

About Driving the Last Spike

"Driving the Last Spike" is the third track on the Genesis album We Can't Dance, released in 1991. The song's lyrics were written by Phil Collins. They are about the Navvies—railway workers of the 19th century—many of whom died constructing Britain's railways. The song narrates the thoughts and feelings of an unnamed railway worker in the form of a soliloquy or internal monologue. The title is a phrase meaning the completion of a major railway project—placing the "last spike" is often a momentous occasion. The original idea came from a book that actor Dennis Waterman gave to Collins. Despite not being released as a single, "Driving the Last Spike" charted in Canada and the United States, peaking at number 51 on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart and number 25 on the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. more »