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)