David Mallett - The Ballad Of St. Anne's Reel lyrics

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 bu*toned down But sometimes on December nights When the air is cold and the wind is right There's a melody that pa**es through this town