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Unplowed Roads parody song destined to be a classic

Move over Weird Al, Island elementary students on the same level
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These Chemainus Elementary School kids know how to write a good parody and carry a tune. (Photo by John Lofto)

Unplowed Roads could become an instant classic.

The parody song to the tune of John Denver’s Take Me Home, Country Roads was compiled in record time by Grade 6 and 7 students at Chemainus Elementary School during the only day they were in class last week, Valentine’s Day, with snow shutting down schools around Cowichan Valley School District 79.

While many of the streets around Chemainus were indeed unplowed during the early stages of last week’s snowstorm, the song hit a chord with residents when they heard about it.

However, “there was no connection in regards to that,” said John Lofto, intermediate music teacher. “We’re not directly complaining.

“We basically just threw out lyrics and ideas and threw them down on paper as quick as we could.”

The students were challenged by principal Brenda Stevenson to see if they could put together a parody song in half an hour at the end of music class.

“It’s great they’re able to put ownership and belonging to their music,” noted Lofto.

The class normally had 21 students, but only 13 were there that day. They quickly went to work and put something together within the time parameters with full instrumentation and made a video.

The students will be performing the actual Take Me Home, Country Roads song during their music concert near the end of the semester.

Lofto was happy about doing the parody, “as long as at the concert, we sing the real Country Roads and do it nicely,” he quipped.

Here’s the lyrics to the Chemainus Elementary hit, Unplowed Roads.

Looks like heaven

Snow-filled kingdom

It’s been coming down

for four straight days.

Life is cold here

Colder with the breeze

I don’t mind, though

I know that I won’t freeze.

CHORUS

Unplowed Roads, please don’t go

Mom make more hot cocoa

Cozy fire, hills to sled on

Leave me home, send more snow.

In all my memories

I’ve never seen this

It just keeps snowing

I’m glad I’m safe and warm

Dark grey clouds, covering the sky

Another day off, teardrop in my eye.

CHORUS

I hear it falling on my

rooftop in the morning

The radio says that there

is no school today

And I’m walking down the road

I get the feeling that I

Should have seen my friends today

And yesterday.

Unplowed roads, please go home

To the drains, where you belong

I miss my teachers, and my classmates

I’m bored at home, no more snow (repeat two times).