This Island

U-Tube video by loveandlaughterlynda ©2006.
~ Used with permission ~

Click Here for guitar tabs.

The winter wind is howling, and the woodstove is blood red,
The moose is frying in the pan, and the dog looks like he's dead;
I'm going to get my cup of Tetley and move closer to the stove,
Close my eyes, relax, and wait till spring comes to the cove.

When those ice-pans start to drift apart, and birds begin to sing,
When trout begin to bitin', and Allen's garden's green;
I'll be diggin' worms and dreaming 'bout my favourite fishing spot,
And fishermen are nettin' mesh for another lobster pot.

This island has its beauty, each season has its thing,
Most of us have memories of what each season brings;
You have to be an islander to fully understand,
And raise your voice to sing to her, "God guard thee, Newfoundland."

When children play on summer sands on beaches on the bay,
When motors start in the early dawn of another fishing day;
As lovers walk hand in hand underneath a moonlit sky,
And the clothes dry on the clothes line on a morning in July.

Picking berries in September on those hills of painted red,
Taking time out for a mug up of tea and lassy bread;
Making splits out in the yard as the snow comes gently down,
Sippin' on a toddie as the mummers "plank 'er down!"

####.... Guy Romaine of The Sharecroppers (Home, Boys! ©2003 John Harvey Newman Publishing, SOCAN). A variant was also recorded by The Cobblestones (The Cobblestones, 2001) ....####

See more songs by The Sharecroppers.

Liner notes: Here's a catchy tune you'll hear on many a Newfoundland radio show. Thank God for our seasons and this wonderful island.

From the Dictionary Of Newfoundland English:
Ice-pans - loose pieces of floating ice with a flat surface.
Lassy - molasses.
Mummers - elaborately costumed and disguised persons who participate in various group activities at Christmas.
Mug up - a cup or mug of tea and a snack taken between any of the main meals, especially in a pause from work.
Netting - knitting; the activity of making or repairing a fishnet.
Splits - thin pieces of wood, about twelve to fourteen inches (30-36 cm) long, used chiefly as kindling.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Notes On Guitar Tabs:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
All guitar tabs have been contributed by visitors to this site and represent their interpretation of the tune. We are unable to verify their accuracy.

Intro: [E]

The winter wind is [B] howling, and the [E] woodstove is blood [B] red,
The [A] moose is frying [E] in the pan, and the dog looks like he's [B] dead;
I'm going to [E] get my cup of [B] Tetley and move [E] closer to the [B] stove,
[A] Close my eyes, re- [E] lax and wait till [B] spring comes to the [E] cove.

When those ice-pans start to [B] drift apart, and [E] birds begin to [B] sing,
When [A] trout begin to [E] bitin', and Allen's garden's [B] green;
I'll be [E] diggin' worms and [B] dreaming 'bout my [E] favourite fishing [B] spot,
And [A] fishermen are [E] nettin' mesh for an- [B] other lobster [E] pot.

Chorus:
This [B] island has its beauty, each [A] season has its [E] thing,
Most of us have memories of what each season [B] brings;
You [E] have to be an [B] islander to [E] fully under- [A] stand,
And [E] raise your voice to sing to her, "God [B] guard thee, Newfound- [E] land."

When children play on [B] summer sands on [E] beaches on the [B] bay,
When [A] motors start in the [E] early dawn of another fishing [B] day;
As [E] lovers walk [B] hand in hand under- [E] neath a moonlit [B] sky,
And the [A] clothes dry on the [E] clothes line on a [B] morning in [E] July.

Picking berries in Sept- [B] ember on those [E] hills of painted [B] red,
Taking [A] time out for a [E] mug up of tea and 'lassy' [B] bread;
Making [E] splits out in the [A] yard as the [E] snow comes gently [B] down,
[A] Sippin' on a [E] toddie as the [B] mummers "plank 'er [E] down!"

~ Chords contributed by Bob Dumais ~