Acadian Driftwood chords by The Band

Tuning: Standard (E A D G B E)

intro:
 Em7   D

verse:
D                           A
  The war was over  and the spirit was broken
Bm               G               Em7
  The hills were smokin'  as the men withdrew
D                          A                    F#m
  We stood on the cliffs   oh   and watched the ships
G                         Em7
  Slowly sinking to their rendezvous
D                              A
  They signed a treaty and our    homes were taken
  Bm            C                     Em7
  Loved-ones forsaken     they didn't give a damn
  D                     A            F#m
  Try to raise a family    end up an enemy
G                                      Em7
  Over what went down on the Plains of Abraham

chorus:
D         G           Em7   A
  Acadian driftwood   gypsy tailwind
G              D    G             Em7
  They call my home   the land of snow
D          G            Em7     A
  Canadian cold front   movin'  in
G               D                G        D
  What a way to ride   oh what a way  to  go

verse:
D                        A
  Then some returned to  the motherland
Bm            G               Em7
  The high command   had them cast away
D                    A
  Some stayed on to  finish what they started
G                                  Em7
  They never parted   they're just built that way
D                   A
  We had kin livin'   south of the border
  Bm               C                Em7
  They're a little older   and they been a-round
D                                  A         F#m
  They wrote in a letter  life's a whole lot better
G                                        Em7
  So pull up your stakes  children   and come on down

chorus:
D         G           Em7   A
  Acadian driftwood   gypsy tailwind
G              D    G             Em7
  They call my home   the land of snow
D          G            Em7     A
  Canadian cold front   movin'  in
G               D                G        D
  What a way to ride   oh what a way  to  go

verse:
D                            A
  Fifty under zero  when the day became a threat
Bm                G                Em7
  My clothes were wet   and I was  drenched to the bone
D                            A
  Then out ice fishin'  mmm  too much repetition
G                                     Em7
  Make a man want to leave  the only  home he's known
D                                     A
  Sailed out of the Gulf  headed for  St. Pierre
Bm             C              Em7
  Nothing to declare   all we had was gone
D                                    A              F#m
  Broke down along the coast  oh  but what hurt the most
G                                             Em7
  When the people there said "you better keep movin' on"

chorus:
D         G           Em7   A
  Acadian driftwood   gypsy tailwind
G              D    G             Em7
  They call my home   the land of snow
D          G            Em7     A
  Canadian cold front   movin'  in
G               D                G        D
  What a way to ride   oh what a way  to  go

verse:
D                                   A
  Everlastin' summer   filled with  ill-contempt
Bm           G             Em7
   his government   had us walkin' in chains
D                      A
  This isn't my turn   this ain't my season
G                                 Em7
  Can't think of one good reason  to remain
D                                         A
  We worked in the sugar fields up from   New Orleans
Bm            C            Em7
  It was ever-green   up until the flood
D                                   A           F#m
  You could call it an omen   point ya where ya goin'
G                             Em7
  Set my compass North I got  winter in my blood

chorus:
D         G           Em7   A
  Acadian driftwood   gypsy tailwind
G              D    G             Em7
  They call my home   the land of snow
D          G            Em7     A
  Canadian cold front   movin'  in
G               D                G        D
  What a way to ride   oh what a way  to  go

outro:
D                A     G
  Sais tu   A-ca-di-e  j'ai le mal du pays  (do you know Acadia I am homesick for the country)
D                A     G
  Ta neige  A-ca-di-e  fait des larmes au soleil  (your snow  Acadia makes tears for the sun)
D               A      G
  J'arrive A-ca-di-e   teedle um   teedle um   teedle oo  (i am coming Acadia)