The Band - Acadian Driftwood
A great song and a great band, but I'll give you a few warnings. First, depending on the age of your group, you may not want to play this song due the use of "damn" in the lyrics. Also, there is a glaring historical error in the song, as the Acadian deportation occurred prior to the Battle on the Plains of Abraham.
ACADIAN DRIFTWOOD
The Band
From the album ‘Northern Lights, Southern Cross’ – Capital Records
The war was over and the spirit was broken
The hills were smokin’ as the men withdrew
We stood on the cliffs
You better keep movin’ on
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
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)]
ACADIAN DRIFTWOOD
The Band
From the album ‘Northern Lights, Southern Cross’ – Capital Records
The war was over and the spirit was broken
The hills were smokin’ as the men withdrew
We stood on the cliffs
You better keep movin’ on
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
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)]
