mime-version: 1.0 date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:30:14 -0700 content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable content-location: http://www.reuben-james.navy.mil/Site%20Images/lyrics.htm x-mimeole: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 from: subject: USS REUBEN JAMES (FFG 57) ~ Lyrics to the Sinking of the Reuben James content-type: text/html; charset="windows-1251" USS REUBEN JAMES (= FFG 57) ~ Lyrics to the Sinking of the Reuben James

Written and Performed by Woody Guthrie in 19= 41.=20   Reuben James was later recorded and sung by The Kingsto= n=20 Trio, Wanda Jackson, Jimmy Dean and Cisco Houston.

Sinking of the Reuben=20 James
lyrics by Woody Guthrie ~ 1941

Have you heard of the ship ca= lled the=20 good Reuben James?
Filled with hard fighting men, of honor = and of=20 fame.
She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the=20 free,
But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the=20 sea.

Chorus:
Tell me, what were= their=20 names,
Tell me, what were their names?
Did you have a fr= iend=20
On the good Reuben James? (Repeat chorus)

One hundred men went down to = their dark=20 watery grave
When that good ship went down only forty-four = were=20 saved.
'Twas the last day of October that they saved forty-= four=20
From the cold icy water of the cold Iceland shore.

(Chorus)

It was there in the dark of t= hat=20 uncertain night
that they watched for the u-boat, and waite= d for=20 the fight.
The fire and the rock and the great explosions=20 roar
And they laid the Reuben James on the cold ocean floor= .

(Chorus)

Well many years have passed s= ince those=20 brave men are gone
And those cold icy waters now are still = and=20 they are calm
Many years have passed but still I must wonde= r=20 why
The worst of men must fight and the best of men must di= e.=20

(Chorus)

US=20 Navy & USS REUBEN JAMES =A9 2008 | Privacy=20 Policy