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Over an ocean and over a sea,
Beyond these great waters, oh, what do I see?
I see the great mountains rise from the coastline,
The hills of Cape Breton this new home of mine.
And we come from the countries all over the world,
To hack at the forest to plough the land down;
Fishermen, farmers and sailors all come,
To clear for the future this pioneer ground.
We are an island, a rock in the 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, over the trees,
Within these new townships, oh, what do I see?
I see the black pitheads the coalwheels are turning,
The smokestacks are belching and the blast furnace burning.
And the sweat on the back is no joy to behold,
In the heat of the steamplant or mining the coal;
And the foreign-owned companies force us to fight,
For our survival and for our rights.
Over the highway and over the road,
Over the causeway stories are told;
They tell of the coming and the going away,
The cities of America draw me away.
And the companies come and the 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 the 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.
This variant arranged and recorded by Ryan's Fancy (Dance Around This One ©1981, Boot Records).
