Acadian Driftwood lyrics - Shawn Colvin

(originally by The Band)

The war was over and the spirit was broken
The hills were smokin' as the men withdrew
And we stood on the cliffs 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
You 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
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

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

Fifteen under zero and the day became a threat
My clothes were wet and I was drenched to the bone
I've been out ice fishing, too much repetition
Make a man wanna leave the only home he's known
Sailed 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
Cause when the people there said "You better keep movin' on"

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

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
Anв цe 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'
But I 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
What a way to ride, oh, what a way to go