Acadian Driftwood - The Band

F C9

The war was over and the spirit was broken

Dm9 Ebmaj9 Gm7

The hills were smokin' as the men withdrew

We stood on the cliffs

C/G A9

Oh, and watched the ships

Bb Gm7

Slowly sinking to their rendezvous

F C9

They signed a treaty and our homes were taken

Dm9 Ebmaj9

Loved ones forsaken

Gm7

They didn't give a damn

Try'n' to raise a family

C/G A9

End up the enemy

Bb Gm7

Over what went down on the plains of Abraham (*)

 

F Bb

Acadian driftwood

Gm7 C7

Gypsy tail wind

Bb/D F/C Bb Gm7

They call my home the land of snow

F Bb Gm7 C7

Canadian cold front movin' in

Bb/D F/C

What a way to ride

Bb Dm7/A Gm7 C7 F

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

 

F C7sus4 C7 Bb/D Gm7

Sais tu, A-ca-di-e j'ai le mal du pays

{You know, Acadia, I long for the country (I am homesick)}

F C7sus4 C7 Bb/D Gm7

Ta neige, Acadie, fait des larmes au soleil

{Your snow, Acadia, makes tears in the sun (or for the sun)}

F C7sus4 C7 Bb/D Gm7

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.