Lyr Req: The Island (Kenzie MacNeil)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Island (Kenzie MacNeil)
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 07:39 PM

The Island

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Island (Kenzie MacNeil)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 07:14 PM

Sorry, didn't see till now this was already answered. My apologies.

My source was http://www.songsforteaching.com/canada/folkmusiclife.htm

Z

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Island (Kenzie MacNeil)
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Apr 09 - 07:13 PM

I know I'm responding to a rather old thread, I don't think that's quite right. Hard to believe that a Google turns up next to nothing! What I remembered was this:

We are an island, a rock in the sea,
We are a people as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze or in wild winter winds
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton

I was brought up in Cape Breton and heard this song for most of my childhood. You'd think I'd remember more of it now!

But I did find this, which I do believe to be the complete and correct lyrics:

Over an ocean and over a sea
Beyond these great waters what do I see
I see the great mountains rise up from the coastline
The hills of Cape Breton, this new home of mine
Oh and we come from the countries all over the world
To hack at the forests, to plow the land down
Fishermen, farmers, and sailors all come
To clear for the future this pioneer ground

CHORUS
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 and over the trees
Within these new townships, what do I see
I see the black pit head the coal wheels a-turning
Smoke stacks a-belching, and the blast fires burning
And the sweat on the back is no joy to behold
In the heat of the steel plant 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 though companies come and companies go
And the ways of the world we may never know
We'll follow the footsteps of those on their way
And we'll fight for the right to leave or to stay

Z

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Island (Kenzie MacNeil)
From: GUEST,Malcolm in England
Date: 20 Feb 09 - 06:17 AM

We are an island, a rock in the sea
We are a people as proud as can be
In warm summer breeze or in wild winter gale
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton!

This is the chorus of the song "The Rock"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: Charley Noble
Date: 08 Jun 01 - 12:12 PM

I think this line has a typo:

For our survival, and for "out" rights.

Should be:

For our survival, and for our rights.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From:
Date: 08 Jun 01 - 11:12 AM

BTW, they still have the listings of obits.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From:
Date: 08 Jun 01 - 11:11 AM

Cape Bretoner Magazine is the one you mean. The other is Cape Breton's Magazine. That one is published by Ron Caplan, and I think it's Wreck Cove Books? Anyway, the Cape Bretoner magazine is still around. It's published by Pat O'Neal, and you can have a look at their web-site.

www.capebretoner.com

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: flattop
Date: 08 Jun 01 - 12:32 AM

Kenzie MacNeil was the editor of one of the Cape Breton magazines for a while. Two of the magizines had conflicting titles. My cousin, Clarance had articles published in the other one, the one that Kenzie MacNeil didn't publish. The best part of Kenzie MacNeil's paper was that he published a cumulative monthly obituary. Each month you could look for people you knew in the who died columns.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: Barry T
Date: 08 Jun 01 - 12:14 AM

I remember some variant lyrics sung at the opening ceremonies of the Canada Winter Games in Sydney in 1987... lyrics that took the edge off the company/industry theme in some verses. Examples...

Over the rooftops and over the trees
Over communities what do I see?
Well, I see the families, the young and the old
Their doorways are open, their stories are told.

The tides may come, they ebb and they flow
And the ways of the world we may never know
So just follow the footsteps of those on their way
As they struggle to leave and struggle to stay.

This song reminds me that I had a videotape of those opening ceremonies, but I literally wore it out. A memorable performance, it was! Lots of pipes and drums, of course, but also some wonderful choral work (including this song) and superb dancing by La Baie en Joie, an Acadian dance troup.

There was another dance group whose name I now forget. They performed a haunting routine they titled 'The Hebridian Maids'. The young women were all dressed in hooded capes and carried lanterns. The stage was dark and foggy, and they danced and swirled to the tune The Dark Island in slow and quick waltz time. Absolutely stunning presentation!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From:
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 11:02 AM

No possibly about it.

'Twas written by Kenzie MacNeil, and in the 70s, proclaimed by the Premier of Nova Scotia as the Anthem of Cape Breton.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 10:08 AM

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 10:02 AM

Whoops, no credits--
from: http://members.nbci.com/grannyalan/canhtml/can028.html
Possibly written by Kenzie MacNeil

Subject: Lyr Add: THE ISLAND (Kenzie MacNeil)
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 09:58 AM

Aha! I'm really on a roll this morning!

The Island

Over an Ocean, and Over a Sea
Beyond these great waters, what do I see?
Well... I see the great mountains that climb from the coast,
The Hills of Cape Breton, this new home of mine.

O we come from the countries, all over the world
To hack at the forests, to plough the lands down.
Fishermen, farmers, and sailors all come,
To clear for the future, this pioneer ground.

We are an Island, a Rock in a stream
We are a People, as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze, or in wild winter winds
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton...

Over the rooftops and over the trees
Within these new townships, O what do I see?
I see the black pit heads, the coal wheels are turning
The smoke stacks are belching and the blast furnace burning.

O and the sweat on the back is no joy to behold
In the heat of the Steel Plant or mining the Coal.
And the foreign owned companies force us to fight
For our survival, and for out rights.

We are an Island, a Rock in a stream
We are a People, as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze, or in wild winter winds
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton...

Over the highways and over the roads
Over the causeway, stories are told.
They tell of the coming and the going away
Cities of America draw me away.

O 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 a stream
We are a People, as proud as there's been
In soft summer breeze, or in wild winter winds
The home of our hearts, Cape Breton...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 09:46 AM

Checked all under just "breton"-- not there. Thanks for trying!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 09:42 AM

Aw boo! I was hoping it was in the giant compilation thread I made for the Breton's!

This 'puder is a slowboat on searches today, but I do recall seeing a Cape Breton music site the other day... try Google for that?

(Hey when you comin' back here Mr. Pete?)

~S~

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 09:37 AM

Checked all under just "breton"-- not there. Thanks for trying!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Cape Breton
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 09:32 AM

Take a look just on [Breton]?

~S~

Subject: Cape Breton
From: GUEST,Pete Peterson
Date: 07 Jun 01 - 09:26 AM

Can somebody furnish the rest of the song (set to an old waltz, I believe) that starts out
We are an island a rock in the sea
. . .
THe home of our hearts, Cape Breton

Super Search (for Cape Breton) didn't reveal a hit, but I'm hoping. Thanks in advance, PETE