The Ballad of St. Anne's Reel

He was stranded in some tiny town, on fair Prince Edward Isle'

Waitin' for a ship to come and find him

A one-horse place, a friendly face, some coffee an' a tiny trace

Of fiddlin' in the distance far behind him

A dime across the counter then, a shy hello, a brand-new friend

A walk along the street in the wint'ry weather

Yellow light, an open door, a "welcome friend, there's room for more!"

And then they're standin' there inside together

He said "I've heard that tune before somewhere, but I can't remember when..

Was it on some other friendly shore, did I hear it on the wind?

Or was it written on the sky above. I think I heard it from someone I love

But I never heard it sound so sweet, since then" (yep!)

Now his feet begin to tap, a young boy said "I'll take your cap"

He's caught up in the magic of his smile

He sends his clumsy body graceful as a child

He said "There's magic in that fiddler's arm, there's magic in this town

There's magic in the dancer's feet and the way they put 'em down"

People smilin' everywhere, boots and ribbons, locks of hair

And laughter and old blue suits and Easter gowns. (Yea, l'go!)

Now the sailor's gone, the room is bare, the old piano's sittin' there

Someone's hat left hangin' on the rack

The empty chairs, the wooden floor that feels the touch of shoes no more

Waitin' for the dancers to come back

And that fiddle's in the closet of some daughter of the town

The strings are broken, the bow is gone, and the cover's buttoned down

Sometimes on December nights, when the air is cold and wind is right

There's a melody that passes through this town

He said "I've heard that tune before somewhere, but I can't remember when..

Was it on some other friendly shore, did I hear it on the wind?

Or was it written on the sky above. I think I heard it from someone I love

But I never heard it sound so sweet, since then" (Take it away!)