| He was born in a small town
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| And he was given every reason to stay
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| Hallelujah, Mississippi, postcard living no sign of decay
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| Till Vietnam moved next door, then Hallelujah was off to war
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| In the dream he couldn’t finish the deed
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| He didn’t smoke any weed so why leave?
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| Going where I can’t be found
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| And I won’t be coming 'round
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| His father Tom said you better sign on
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| You’d better take up your gun and fight
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| I got nothing against them Viet Cong
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| What did they do wrong and why am I right?
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| He’s on his way to Thunder Bay
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| Crossed the border late at night
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| And it was high stakes until he saw the Great Lakes
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| And he felt the cold wind bite
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| Going where I can’t be found
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| And I won’t be coming 'round
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| No, I’m an American on the Canadian Shield
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| And I’m putting down roots in your frozen fields
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| It gets cold but you feel so good to be a stranger in a town and you’re
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| understood
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| Missing his home, he would wake up in a cold sweat
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| And pick up the phone and hope that Tom found a way to forget
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| He’s been teaching at the high school, learning the game
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| In Thunder Bay we’re all the same
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| He’s one of us, he has our trust
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| But there’s no going back once the line is crossed
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| I’m an American on the Canadian Shield
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| And I’m putting down roots in your frozen fields
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| It gets cold but you feel so good to be a stranger in a town and you’re
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| understood
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| You can’t ask what you’re asking me to do
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| And I hope you understand when I refuse
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| I’m going North with my point of view
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| And I’m never gonna think the same as you
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| And I’m where I can’t be found
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| And I won’t be coming 'round
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| No, I’m an American on the Canadian Shield
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| And I’m putting down roots in your frozen fields
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| It gets cold but you feel so good to be a stranger in a town and you’re
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| understood |