Jacques Et Gilles

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[Verse 1]
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Jacques et Gilles work at the mill
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That stands beside the water
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Could be Lowell, could be Lawrence
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Or Nashua, New Hampshire


[Verse 2]
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Jacques et Gilles, they hate the mill
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But they’ve too many sons and daughters
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The pay’s no good, they miss the woods
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So they go and cut the lumber in Maine


[Verse 3]
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Jacques et Gilles they’ve left the mill
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To cut down trees in winter
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Little Helene who’s only ten
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She knits and spins and sits and folds
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In darkness and in hunger
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In the cold mill by the frozen water


[Verse 4]
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And St-Jean-Baptiste says, “That’s okay
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Come pray to me on Sunday
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We’ll cash your notes, we’ll cast your votes
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Just give me some of that money”


[Verse 5]
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“Tell me mother, sister and brother
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You who work beside me
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When will we be going home
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To the chickens and cows, the horses and sows
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The cousins and friends and loved-ones
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Of our native country?”


[Verse 6]
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“Ah, shut your mouth my daughter dear
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Go fetch the boss some water
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And just pretend ma belle Helene
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That at the borne-fontaine
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You can’t comprehend
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That Irish agitator”


[Verse 7]
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Now we’re going down to La Marique
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To work in the mills of New Hampshire
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Two weeks we’ll march like savages
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Down the banks of the Connecticut and the Merrimac rivers


[Verse 8]
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“Why is Paddy such a bad guy?
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Why is he so evil?
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He wants more pay for his working day
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And he says that kids like me should be in school”


[Verse 9]
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“Ah, ferme ta gueule ma p’tite soeur
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We’ll start for home tomorrow
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But Paddy Boyle and Katy Doyle
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They’ve left their soil
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They’ve sailed away, they can’t go home
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And therein lies their anger and their sorrow”


[Verse 10]
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And the old man smells of whisky-blanc
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Of tobacco and fine leather
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And all the boys Ti-Pit, Ti-Jean
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Ti-Guy, Ti-Gus, have brand new suits
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And all the girls, new coats and hats
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And Madame Aubry, a gorgeous hat of Melton
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With three fine feathers


[Verse 11]
          Am    G       Am  C
And we’re going home to Canada
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To La Beauce, our beautiful country
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We’ll take the new train from Nashua
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Our pockets filled with American money