Stompin' Tom Connors

When I heard the news on the radio this morning that Stompin' Tom had passed away, I immediately thought of that wonderful song Tillsonburg. I'm a lyrics guy, and in my opinion, the most amazing thing about Stompin' Tom was his lyrics.
So, I began to start preparing my blog in my head when I went to the CBC website and found their tribute to Stompin' Tom, which includes comments from other Canadian greats in the music industry, like Raffi, Burton Cummings, Jann Arden, k.d. lang, and they keep on pouring in.
So, let me share the CBC link with you, but, just before that, in case you've never paid much attention to his lyrics, here are the lyrics to Tillsonburg, when it was a tobacco picking industry town:

Hey Tom, You ever been to Tillsonburg?
Tillsonburg? My back still aches when I hear that word
While, a way down Southern Ontario
I never had a nickle or a dime to show
A fella beeped up in an automobile
He said "You want to work in the Tobacco field's of

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) x2
My back still aches when I hear that word

He said I'll only give ya seven bucks a day
But if you're any good you'll get a raise in pay
Your beds already on the bunkhouse floor
If it gets a little chilly ya can close the door

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg)
It was Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) 
My back still aches when I hear that word

I was feelin' in the morning anything but fine
The farmer said I'm gonna teach ya how to prime
He said ya gotta don a pair of oil skin pants
If ya want to work in the Tobacco plants of

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) x2
My back still aches when I hear that word

We landed in a field that was long and wide
With one ol' horse and five more guys
I asked them where to find the cigarette trees
When he said bend over I was ready to leave

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) x2
My back still aches when I hear that word

He said just to pick the bottom leaves
And don't start crawling on your hands and knees
Prime your load cause you'll get no pay
For standin' there pickin' at your nose all day 'round

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) x2
My back still aches when I hear that word

With a broken back bendin' over there
I was wet right through to the underwear
And it was stuck to my skin like glue
From the nicotine tar on the morning dew of

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) x2
My back still aches when I hear that word

Now the nearest river was two miles from
The place where they was waitin' for the boat to come
When I heard some talk of makin' the kill
I was down the highway and over the hill from

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) x2
My back still aches when I hear that word

Now there is one thing you can always bet
If I never smoke another cigarette
I might get taken in alot of deals
But I won't go workin' the tobacco fields of

Tillsonburg (Tillsonburg) x2
My back still aches when I hear that word

My back still aches when I hear that word(x4)

And, as promised, here is the link to the CBC tribute page:

Link to Stompin' Tom tribute click here