Acadian Driftwood

The war was over and the spirit was broken    The hills were smokin’ as the men withdrew    We stood on the cliffs    Oh and watched the ships    Slowly sinking to their rendezvous    They signed a treaty and our   homes were taken    Loved ones forsaken    They didn’t give a damn    Try’n’ to raise a family    End up the enemy    Over what went down on the plains of Abraham (*)   Acadian driftwood   Gypsy tail wind   They call my home   the land of snow   Canadian cold front    movin’ in   What a way to ride     Oh what a way   to   go  Then some returned to the motherland  The high command had them cast away   And some stayed on to finish what they started  They never parted  They’re just built that way  We had kin livin’ south of the border  They’re a little older and they’ve been around  They wrote a letter life is a whole lot better  So pull up your stakes children and come on down  Fifteen under zero when the day became a threat My clothes were wet and I was drenched to the bone Been out ice fishing too much repetition  Make a man wanna leave the only home he’s known Sailing out of the gulf headin’ for Saint Pierre Nothin’ to declare              All we had was gone  Broke down along the coast But what hurt the most When the people there said "You better keep movin’ on"              Everlasting summer filled with ill-content This government had us walkin’ in chains This isn’t my turf  This ain’t my season Can’t think of one good reason to remain I’ve worked in the sugar fields up from New Orleans It was ever green up until the floods  You could call it an omen Points ya where you’re goin’ Set my compass north I got winter in my blood                Acadian driftwood Gypsy tail wind They call my home the land of snow Canadian cold front movin’ in   What a way to ride Ah what a way to go         Sais tu A-ca-di-e   j’ai le mal du pays    {You know Acadia I long for the country (I am homesick)}    Ta neige Acadie    fait des larmes au soleil    {Your snow Acadia makes tears in the sun (or for the sun)}    J’arrive Acadie   teedle um teedle um teedle ooh    {I am arriving Acadia (or I am coming Acadia)} (*): "The Plains of Abraham" refer to farm land owned by Abraham Martin just west of the The Citadel in Quebec City and the site of the battle between the French and the English. It is now a park (also overlooks the St.Lawrence) and is a wonderful place to visit if you ever get the chance.