wanted to write a song about the Timber trade in the Ottawa Valley in the 1700's. A tribute song to the men that immigrated to a wild new country giving up most everything they knew.
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Story behind the song
I like this song. I wanted a "come all yea" to capture the loss of the immigrants as they gave up all. A folk lullaby.
Lyrics
Temagami Bound
Farewell to you my one true love
for I am Temagami bound.
In a few short days I put to sea,
far away from solid ground.
The sea may take my life, my love
but it won't break my heart.
I have no fear of death my love
but I fear the day we part
Me brother Mick, and Andrew Smith,
they too were Temagami bound.
It's been three years since they sailed away
and I haven't heard a sound.
They were on their way to that silver lake
by the light of a hungry moon.
And now the crop has failed again
and I will be there soon.
I've seen good men shake their heads,
when they were Temagami bound.
For that wild wild land has made men lost,
never to be found.
The shores are lined with crosses,
from men that step too slow.
They talk of slaves in that valley deep.
In this place that I must go.
Never lose faith in me my love,
because I'm Temagami bound.
I've lived for you when the bullets flew,
on a foreign battle ground.
I'll keep my wits about me.
It's all a man can do.
I promise this day to keep out of harm's way,
This I swear to you.
Prehaps the day may come my love,
when you are Temagami bound.
I'll send you the fare, when I settle down there,
in the nearest town.
I'll build you a home, I'll buy you fine clothes,
of the likes you've never seen.
I'll carve a kingdom out for us,
and you can be it's queen.