AllMusic critic Rob Bowman described "Acadian Driftwood" as "a slightly more complex and ambitious (and successful) down-north analog to "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." The "Sarasota Herald-Tribune" affirmed the relationship with "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," noting that it had much of "the tone and historical sensitivity" as the earlier song. The "Herald-Tribune" further noted that the song deals with the theme in a way that not only highlights the plight of the Acadians but also relates it to continuing oppression in the world.