The Ballad Of St. Anne's Reel

He was stranded in some tiny town

On fair Prince Edward Isle

Awaitin' for a ship to come and find him

A one-horse place, a friendly face

Some coffee and a tiny trace

Of fiddlin' in the distance far behind him

A dime across the counter then

A shy hello, a brand new friend

A walk along the street in the wintry weather

A yellow light, an open door

And a welcome friend, there's room for more

And then they're standing there inside together

He said I've heard that tune before somewhere

But I can't remember when

Was it on some other friendly shore

Or did I hear it on the wind

Was it written on the sky above

I think I heard it from someone I loved

But I never heard it sound so sweet since then

Now his feet begin to tap

A little boy says I'll take your hat

He's caught up in the magic of her smile

And leap the heart inside him went

And off across the floor he sent

His clumsy body graceful as a child

He said there's magic in the fiddler's arm

There's magic in this town

There's magic in the dancers' feet

And the way they put them down

People smilin' everywhere

Boots and ribbons, locks of hair

And laughter and old blue suits and Easter gowns

Now the sailors' gone, the room is bare

The old piano settin' there

Someone's hat's left hanging on the rack

And empty chairs, the wooden floor

That feels the touch of shoes no more

Awaitin' for the dancers to come back

And the fiddle's in the closet

Of some daughter of the town

The strings are broke and the bow is gone

And the cover's buttoned down

But sometimes on December nights

When the air is cold and the wind is right

There's a melody that passes through this town