How a nice Jewish Boy from Baltimore made it this far. The trials and tribulations, not to mention the fun and frolics of every day life.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Lyrics to the song "The Reuben James"


The USS Reuben James was an American Destroyer on convoy escort duty, when it was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine on October 31, 1941. She became one of the first U.S. ships lost during World War II, though she was sunk 5 weeks before the U.S. was attacked at Pearl Harbor. Woody Guthrie, one of America's folk legends wrote this song shortly after the event to commemorate the event. I first heard it on a Kingston Trio album in the 1950's. Here's a site with the tune: http://www.geocities.com/nashville/3448/reuben.html

"Reuben James"

Have you heard of the ship called the good Reuben James?
Armed of hard fighting men, both of honor and of fame,
She flew the Stars and Stripes of the Land of the Free,
But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.

Oh tell me what were their names, tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?
Won't you tell me what were their names? Tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?

One hundred men went down to their dark and watery grave,
When that good ship went down, only fourty-four were saved.
Was the last day of October, they saved fourty-four,
From the dark icy waters of that cold Iceland shore.

Oh tell me what were their names, tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?
Won't you tell me what were their names? Tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?

It was there in the dark on that cold and watery night,
They watched for the U-Boat and they waited for a fight,
Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared,
They lay the Reuben James on the cold ocean floor.

Oh tell me what were their names, tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?
Won't you tell me what were their names? Tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?

Many years have passed since those brave men are gone,
Those cold icy waters, they're still and they're calm,
Many years have passed, and still I wonder why,
That the worst of men must fight and the best of men must die.

Oh tell me what were their names, tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?
Tell me, tell, me, tell me what were their names? Tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Rueben James?

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