Lyrics of 'Acadian Driftwood' by Richard Shindell

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 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
Oh, what a way to ride
Oh, what a way to go

Then some returned to the motherland
The high command had them cast away
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 here is a whole lot better
So pull up your stakes, children and come on down

Acadian driftwood
Gypsy tail wind
They call my home the land of snow
Canadian cold front movin' in
Oh, what a way to ride
Oh, what a way to go

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 evergreen up until the floods
You could call it an omen
Points you 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
Oh, what a way to ride
Oh, what a way to go

Sais tu, Acadia, j'ai le mal du pays
Ta neige, Acadia, fait des larmes au soleil
J'arrive, Acadia, j'ai le mal du pays
Ta neige, Acadia, fait des larmes au soleil