That's Why I Love This Province

I think it was in the last year of Annekenstein, maybe the year before, I'm guessing '96 or '97, but definitely one of the two Myron's years, that I wrote this song, for the show. It was when the "Anne" license plates were new, and we wrote a sketch about a guy going to the DoH to get a new license plate and getting irate when he was told he'd have to take an Anne plate. He then went into a diatribe about all the things he hated about Prince Edward Island.

It was right after that sketch, I think, that we went into this song, called (This Province Called) Prince Edward Island (3.4mb).

The female voice is that of my wife. She has a fantastic, angelic voice, believe me. If I recall correctly, though, for this recording, she reluctantly agreed to sing along, even though she didn't really know the words or the melody very well. I think she was given one take, maybe two, to lay her track down (with my pathetic attempts at harmony to deal with at the same time), before I decided it was good enough and I moved on to another song. Now, I am in no way implying her singing isn't good here, because I think it's great, and she could out-sing me in a snot-storm, but I do feel it necessary to acknowledge that the recording process that I was employing doesn't do her justice.

The lyrics are below. The song was kind of timely for 1996-7, so some of the elements no longer are relevant. Still, I think it's a fun song, with some funny lines. And the recording is almost bearable.

The Lyrics:

(This Province Called) Prince Edward Island

Oh no they

won’t let you buy carbonated pop in cans

Beer sold in tin coverings is strictly banned

The law was lobbied for by Rundell Seaman

That’s why I love this province called Prince Edward Island

You know you

won’t see Moosehead ads on channel CBC

But you can watch them on the other forty three

It’s such a sad attempt to keep us liquor free

That’s why I love this province called Prince Edward Island

Here’s to the Island cradled in the waves

And to all the people living here today

We call ourselves Islanders, yet I feel I have to say

If you were not born here, you are from away.

We get our

news from Compass every night, no ifs, ands or buts

Boomer wears short pants all year, boy he’s got guts

Our favourite segment Thursday night is Roger’s Soup To Nuts

That’s why I love this province called Prince Edward Island

We watch on

Tuesday nights on Cable Ten Bill’s Country Jamboree

Out of tune guitars and voice of Senior Citizenry.

It’s been on two decades now, ask why but don’t ask me

It’s why I love this province called Prince Edward Island

We’re either

farmers or we’re fisherman, or we work at DVA.

Most of us can’t get jobs, but we can still get paid

‘Cause filling out your pogey card is the Island way.

That’s why I love this province called Prince Edward Island

Here’s to the Island cradled in the waves

And to all the people living here today

We call ourselves Islanders, we’re sorry when we say

I’m going on the welfare boys, my pogey ends today.

For years we

voted for the Liberals or we voted for PC

The way my parents voted was good enough for me

I guess hippies are parents now ‘cause we have one NDP

That’s why I love this province called Prince Edward Island

Green Gables

gets the tourists coming here, all to see Anne

We even get them coming all the way from Japan

But if Green Gables does burn down we have no back up plan

That’s why I love this province called Prince Edward Island

Here’s to the Island cradled in the waves

And to all the people living here today

We call ourselves Islanders, it’s a reminder when we say

The first one’s who lived on her, called her Abegweit.

Here’s to the Island cradled in the waves

And to all the people living here today

We call ourselves Islanders, it’s a warning when I say

It’s free for you to drive here but to leave you have to pay