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Step 1 / 20Position: 2
1 index2 middle3 ring4 pinkyO open
"Acadian Driftwood" (J.R. Robertson)
From "Northern Lights - Southern Cross" (1975)
14/08/23: While at least one guitar on the studio recording
may be in Open D, I now suspect at least one is in standard
but uses E major shapes with a lot of ringing, open strings.
The song I associate most with those shapes is "All Things
Must Pass" but other random examples are Beck's "Golden Age"
and The Allmans' "Melissa".
Shapes:
EADGBE
Bsus4: X24400
C#m: 064400
F#m/E: 044200
G#m/E: 066400
See below for Open D version.
----------------------------------------------------------
[Intro]
E|------------|-------------0-|
B|------------|-------------0-|
G|-----------2|-------------4-|
D|-2--2--2h4--|-2h4-2-------2-|
A|-2h4--------|-------------2-|
E|-0----------|-------2b30--0-|
[Verse]
E Bsus4
The war was over and the spirit was broken,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
The hills were smokin' as the men withdrew.
E F#m/E G#m/E
We stood on the cliffs, Oh, and watched the ships,
Asus2 F#m/E
Slowly sinking to their rendezvous.
[Verse]
E Bsus4
They signed a treaty and our homes were taken,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
Loved ones forsaken, they didn't give a damn.
E F#m/E G#m/E
Tryin' to raise a family, end up the enemy,
Asus2 F#m/E
Over what went down on the Plains of Abraham.
[Chorus]
E Asus2 Bsus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Asus2 F#m/E
They call my home the land of snow.
E Asus2 Bsus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Asus2 Bsus4 E
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Verse]
E Bsus4
Then some returned to the Motherland,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
The High Command had them cast away.
E F#m/E G#m/E
And some stayed on to finish what they started,
Asus2 F#m/E
They never parted, they're just built that way.
[Verse]
E Bsus4
We had kin livin' south of the border,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
They're a little older and they've been around.
E F#m/E G#m/E
They wrote a letter "life is a whole lot better
Asus2 F#m/E
So pull up your stakes, children and come on down".
[Chorus]
E Asus2 Bsus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Asus2 F#m/E
They call my home the land of snow.
E Asus2 Bsus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Asus2 Bsus4 E
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Verse]
E Bsus4
Fifteen under zero when the day became a threat,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
My clothes were wet and I was drenched to the bone.
E F#m/E G#m/E
Been out ice fishing, mhmm, too much repetition,
Asus2 F#m/E
Make a man wanna leave the only home he's known.
[Verse]
E Bsus4
Sailing out of the gulf headin' for Saint Pierre,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
Nothin' to declare, all we had was gone.
E F#m/E G#m/E
Broke down along the coast, oh, but what hurt the most
Asus2 F#m/E
When the people there said "You'd better keep movin' on"
[Chorus]
E Asus2 Bsus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Asus2 F#m/E
They call my home the land of snow.
E Asus2 Bsus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Asus2 Bsus4 E
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Verse]
E Bsus4
Everlasting summer filled with ill content,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
This government had us walkin' in chains.
E F#m/E G#m/E
This isn't my turf, this ain't my season,
Asus2 F#m/E
Can't think of one good reason to remain.
[Verse]
E Bsus4
We worked in the sugar fields up from New Orleans,
C#m Dsus2 F#m/E Bsus4
It was ever green up until the floods.
E F#m/E G#m/E
You could call it an omen, points ya where you're goin',
Asus2 F#m/E
Set my compass North, I got winter in my blood.
[Chorus]
E Asus2 Bsus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Asus2 F#m/E
They call my home the land of snow.
E Asus2 Bsus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Asus2 Bsus4 E
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Outro]
(en francais to fade)
E Esus4 E F#m/E
Sais tu, A-ca-di-e j'ai le mal du pays,
E Esus4 E F#m/E
Ta neige, Acadi-e, fait des larmes au solei.
E Esus4 E F#m/E
J'arrive Acadi-e, teedle um, teedle um, teedle ooh...
------------------------------------------------------
Open D version (capo 3)
shapes for DADF#AD
D: 000000 and 000354
Asus4: 001240 and 000575
Em/D: 002120 and 202120
Bm: 020020
Csus2: x32130
Gsus2: 005500
F#m: 004340
[Intro]
E|------------------0-|
B|------------------0-|
G|------------------0-|
D|----1-------------0-|
A|-0h20-0h20--------0-|
E|-0-----------2b30-0-|
[Verse]
D Asus4
The war was over and the spirit was broken,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
The hills were smokin' as the men withdrew.
D Em/D F#m
We stood on the cliffs, Oh, and watched the ships,
Gsus2 Em/D
Slowly sinking to their rendezvous.
[Verse]
D Asus4
They signed a treaty and our homes were taken,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
Loved ones forsaken, they didn't give a damn.
D Em/D F#m
Tryin' to raise a family, end up the enemy,
Gsus2 Em/D
Over what went down on the Plains of Abraham.
[Chorus]
D Gsus2 Asus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Gsus2 Em/D
They call my home the land of snow.
D Gsus2 Asus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Gsus2 Asus4 D
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Verse]
D Asus4
Then some returned to the Motherland,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
The High Command had them cast away.
D Em/D F#m
And some stayed on to finish what they started,
Gsus2 Em/D
They never parted, they're just built that way.
[Verse]
D Asus4
We had kin livin' south of the border,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
They're a little older and they've been around.
D Em/D F#m
They wrote a letter "life is a whole lot better
Gsus2 Em/D
So pull up your stakes, children and come on down".
[Chorus]
D Gsus2 Asus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Gsus2 Em/D
They call my home the land of snow.
D Gsus2 Asus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Gsus2 Asus4 D
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Verse]
D Asus4
Fifteen under zero when the day became a threat,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
My clothes were wet and I was drenched to the bone.
D Em/D F#m
Been out ice fishing, mhmm, too much repetition,
Gsus2 Em/D
Make a man wanna leave the only home he's known.
[Verse]
D Asus4
Sailing out of the gulf headin' for Saint Pierre,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
Nothin' to declare, all we had was gone.
D Em/D F#m
Broke down along the coast, oh, but what hurt the most
Gsus2 Em/D
When the people there said "You'd better keep movin' on"
[Chorus]
D Gsus2 Asus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Gsus2 Em/D
They call my home the land of snow.
D Gsus2 Asus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Gsus2 Asus4 D
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Verse]
D Asus4
Everlasting summer filled with ill content,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
This government had us walkin' in chains.
D Em/D F#m
This isn't my turf, this ain't my season,
Gsus2 Em/D
Can't think of one good reason to remain.
[Verse]
D Asus4
We worked in the sugar fields up from New Orleans,
Bm Csus2 Em/D Asus4
It was ever green up until the floods.
D Em/D F#m
You could call it an omen, points ya where you're goin',
Gsus2 Em/D
Set my compass North, I got winter in my blood.
[Chorus]
D Gsus2 Asus4
Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind,
Gsus2 Em/D
They call my home the land of snow.
D Gsus2 Asus4
Canadian cold front, movin' in,
Gsus2 Asus4 D
What a way to ride, oh what a way to go.
[Outro]
en francais to fade
D Dsus4 D Em/D
Sais tu, A-ca-di-e j'ai le mal du pays,
D Dsus4 D Em/D
Ta neige, Acadi-e, fait des larmes au solei.
D Dsus4 D Em/D
J'arrive Acadi-e, teedle um, teedle um, teedle ooh...
Acadian Driftwood chords and lyrics
Free chords for Acadian Driftwood by The Band. Scroll the interactive sheet above or read the chord names inline below.
"Acadian Driftwood" (J.R. Robertson)
From "Northern Lights - Southern Cross" (1975)
14/08/23: While at least one guitar on the studio recording
may be in Open D, I now suspect at least one is in standard
but uses E major shapes with a lot of ringing, open strings.
The song I associate most with those shapes is "All Things
Must Pass" but other random examples are Beck's "Golden Age"
and The Allmans' "Melissa".
Shapes:
EADGBE
Bsus4: X24400
C#m: 064400
F#m/E: 044200
G#m/E: 066400
See below for Open D version.
----------------------------------------------------------
[Intro]
[Verse]
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Verse]
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Verse]
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Verse]
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Outro]
(en francais to fade)
------------------------------------------------------
Open D version (capo 3)
shapes for DADF#AD
D: 000000 and 000354
Asus4: 001240 and 000575
Em/D: 002120 and 202120
Bm: 020020
Csus2: x32130
Gsus2: 005500
F#m: 004340
[Intro]
[Verse]
[Verse]
[Chorus]
[Verse]
[Verse]
[Chorus]Acadian Driftwood Chords by The Band
Learn how to play Acadian Driftwood by The Band with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Acadian Driftwood chords”, “Acadian Driftwood guitar chords”, or “The Band Acadian Driftwood chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Acadian Driftwood chords and for experienced players who want accurate Acadian Driftwood lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, E, Bsus4, C#m, F#m/E, G#m/E.
Frequently asked questions about Acadian Driftwood
How do I play "Acadian Driftwood" by The Band on guitar?
Open the free chords for "Acadian Driftwood" by The Band on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.
Are the chords for "Acadian Driftwood" by The Band free?
Yes. The chords for "Acadian Driftwood" by The Band are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.
Can I transpose "Acadian Driftwood" to a different key?
Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Acadian Driftwood" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.
Can I see chord diagrams for "Acadian Driftwood"?
Yes. Tap any chord in "Acadian Driftwood" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.
Is "Acadian Driftwood" easy to play on guitar?
Many players learn "Acadian Driftwood" by The Band with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The Band below.
What key is "Acadian Driftwood" in?
The chords for "Acadian Driftwood" show the original chord names (including D, E, Bsus4, C#m, F#m/E, G#m/E). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.