Just as background, the heavy water plant was located in Port Hawkesbury, on the western side of Cape Breton Island, not far from the Canso Causeway.

"Pogey" (POE-ghee) is your unemployment check. So the singer picked up his money, cashed it, and found new life coming to his feet.

The song appeared as part of "The Rise and Follies of Cape Breton," a musical review performed at the College of Cape Breton. Songs like this poked fun at Capers ("ah, t'hell, I'll go tomorrow") and those who looked down on them.