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The Island (official Song Of Cape Breton Island) lyrics
Over an ocean and over a sea
Beyond these great waters, oh, what do I see
I see the great mountains which climb from the coastline
The hills of Cape Breton, this new home of mine
Oh, we come from the countries all over the world
To hack at the forests, to plow the lands down
Fishermen, farmers and sailors all come
To clear for the future this pioneer ground
We are an island, a rock in a stream
We are a people as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze or in wild winter wind
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton
Over the rooftops and over the trees
Within these new townships, oh, what do I see
I see the black pitheads; the coal wheels are turning
The smoke stacks are belching and the blast furnace burning
And the sweat on the back is no joy to behold
In the heat of the steel plant or mining the coal
And the foreign-owned companies force us to fight
For our survival and for our rights
We are an island, a rock in a stream
We are a people as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze or in wild winter wind
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton
Over the highways and over the roads
Over the Causeway stories are told
They tell of the coming and the going away
The cities of America draw me away
And though companies come and though companies go
And the ways of the world we may never know
We'll follow the footsteps of those on their way
And still ask for the right to leave or to stay
We are an island, a rock in a stream
We are a people as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze or in wild winter wind
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton
Beyond these great waters, oh, what do I see
I see the great mountains which climb from the coastline
The hills of Cape Breton, this new home of mine
Oh, we come from the countries all over the world
To hack at the forests, to plow the lands down
Fishermen, farmers and sailors all come
To clear for the future this pioneer ground
We are an island, a rock in a stream
We are a people as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze or in wild winter wind
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton
Over the rooftops and over the trees
Within these new townships, oh, what do I see
I see the black pitheads; the coal wheels are turning
The smoke stacks are belching and the blast furnace burning
And the sweat on the back is no joy to behold
In the heat of the steel plant or mining the coal
And the foreign-owned companies force us to fight
For our survival and for our rights
We are an island, a rock in a stream
We are a people as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze or in wild winter wind
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton
Over the highways and over the roads
Over the Causeway stories are told
They tell of the coming and the going away
The cities of America draw me away
And though companies come and though companies go
And the ways of the world we may never know
We'll follow the footsteps of those on their way
And still ask for the right to leave or to stay
We are an island, a rock in a stream
We are a people as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze or in wild winter wind
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton
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all of my patriotic friends will understand what this means to me. please have a listen here:
the barra macneils sing it so beautifully! i still can't figure out a way of embedding videos using this new computer -arrrfhfhfh. so please click on the link to see how we sing this song. there is no one in cape breton who can't sing this song. it means the world to me...and remember jambaloney's father was born here too, so he has a special feeling for this place (plus he loves the trout fishing here!). please take a listen...it is such a beautiful song...and i am feeling melancholy right now from not feeling up to par the last week. the ladies will understand what i mean. and my men friends will just understand that it's lady stuff, ya know?
this is the song of my island...my father was a coal miner for 27 yrs, this is a land i had to leave over 30yrs ago....and always promised myself i would return to...even tho most days i didn't really believe i would ever make it home. but i kept my faith. i did my best and somehow....i made it home.
we had a long day today - as many of you have had dealing with hurricanes and storms and wild rains and wind....we feel for everyone who has been dealing with things like losing their homes, their barns, their wildstock and every little thing like losing a lock a barn door...which if you are dealing with any of that is horrific and terrifying. we have been dealing with the aftermath of those things...sooo much smaller but we still have had terrifying winds and weird weather. but we've had some good weather too. and our harvest is coming in daily.
and for that i am sooo thankful for. but i just needed to hear this song to bring my spirits up. i worked my whole career off of my island ( i left when i was 15 to go to college and stayed in ottawa for another 20 yrs), and although i always dreamed i would come home...it was never solid. i was never sure i could come home. and now i am home. i am finally home.
the home of my heart - cape breton.
please listen to to the official song of my island. tell me what you think about it. i think i can sing about 13 national anthems of other countries and places. test me and i will make some horrible you-tube videos singing for you - bahahahah! no, i just want you to understand who i really am. and hope that you will love my land as much as i and jambaloney do. please take 5 mins and listen to my island's song.
i sang myself to sleep to it every night until i came back home. 7 yrs ago. i couldn't possibly be more thankful.
sending love. xoxoxo
EDITED to add another, higher pitched version of our island's song....watch this and see everyone in the crowd singing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOqbMMLqeok
EDITED to add another, higher pitched version of our island's song....watch this and see everyone in the crowd singing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOqbMMLqeok
Still am stirred to tears by the song of my state, even though I haven't lived there for many years. Totally get you...
ReplyDeleteNorene - thank you so very much! you obviously really get it. do you plan to return to your home-state? it seemed impossible for years for me...but then a touch of fate made it all come true. i hope that you can return. thank you so much for understanding. xoxo
ReplyDeletelove this song. I loved the 2nd you tube more as I think it is really powerful that everyone stands and they hold hands even the older people swaying and belting out the song of their heart. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIve added some sea shanties to my messed up blog post today...
Well, I have to admit that I burst into tears only a few minutes in and cried through the lot of it. Thank goD there were no bagpipes involved, or I would have been done for. It was so very lovely. So very stirring - even for an inlander like me.
ReplyDeleteThe song is beautiful and I'm SO HAPPY for you that you were able to go HOME. I can't wait to FIND home! :) As long as I have mountains, woods and lakes, home is where my heart is, and Alex and the pets are my heart. I often get mushy about that too. :))
ReplyDeleteHey Kymber, shh I have been secretly learning Scottish Gaelic. Hence I keep leaving messages/comments here with Gaelic in it. Like the words for black flies or as we call them here midges... I dont know if it is true but in the UK when people take the mickey out off Scots they say "okk hi the noo". Which when Granny mac said it, I thought it sounded like Ochd uairean gu ìre mhòr. which is its nearly 8 oclock. Which seems ridiculous when you read it. Like most swear words though...
ReplyDeleteI am trying but it is hard as I have no one to practice it on. There is also tv show from the 80's 90's (going on the glasses and the hair) called speaking our language it is on BBC Alba over here.
seriously I sit here repeating it again and again. and then when I hear them say something I grin to myself that I understood a little of what was being said. I will be ready for the clan gathering next year.
Some will come really easily to you as it sounds like latin/french especially the numbers 4 - ceithir which when said sounds like french to me quatre. You will have people to practice with? It will make it easier. They speak it in the West Highlands Scotland, exactly where Granny Macs family came from. I need to get my behind in gear.
Heres a link to the you tube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUSGeUYpRiw
lol delete this comment once you have read it, it makes no sense to this post.
Very windy here! eek