The Island -

Over an ocean and over a sea

Beyond these great waters, oh what do I see?

I see the great mountains

Climb from the coastline

The hills of Cape Breton, this new home of mine

Oh they come from the countries all over the world

To hack at the forest, to plow the land 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, oh what do I see?

I see the black pitheads, the coal-wheels are turning

The smokestacks are belching and the blast furnace burning

Oh 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 highways and over the roads

Over the causeway, stories are told

They tell of the coming and the going away

The cities of America draw me away

Ah the companies come, the 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 ask for the right to leave or to stay