I was wondering about Gord's lyrics which say: " I worked the Quebec mines." Did he really work in those mines, or is it just a part of the song? Curious because I have worked in the mining industry.

I used to live in Michigan's Upper Peninsula where mining has a rich history. However, I don't remember hearing that mining was one of Gord's past occupations. In my opinion, I think it was just part of the song, just like he never worked building railroads.

I always thought Crossroads to be of a similar topic as Canadian Railroad Trilogy, which appeared on the same album. The line: "I saw this country growing like a fair and mighty thing" especially evokes comparisons to CRT in my mind.

I've never heard that he worked the mines but the mining industry is a part of a few songs of his. CRT and Mother of Miners Child come to mind. There was a lot of mining (still is) being done in Ontario north about 500 miles of Toronto - gold/silver..Timmins, Sudbury, Sault Ste.Marie and north of Superior to Pickle Lake as well.
It was a large part of the Northern Ontario job market along with forestry and from the CBC show that was aired back in the late 60's I think Lightfoot seemed to be a concerned sort of person regarding the earth etc. and spoke about the highway being built at the cost of the land as it was widened north of Toronto. So I think he'd be pretty aware of the industries that came from the land that he loved in North Ontario.

Another one is: "Sweet Guinevere" from the Endless Wire Album.

From the Songbook liner notes:

"Crossroads was written for a CBC television special around Expo '67, done up in Montreal. It was about Canada in its developmental stages. The circumstances were much like the Canadian Railroad Trilogy, and I guess they thought I'd come up with another one of those."

That's great information. I was wondering if that is true for his other songs such as "Long Thin Dawn" (was he really a trucker at one time?) and "Sixteen Miles" (did he really backpack into the mountains to get away from a previous life?)

I believe the only work Gord did besides his music was working for his dad (banking or dry cleaning). He did do a lot of hiking and canoeing.