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by Woody Guthrie |
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Have you heard of that ship called the good Reuben James? |
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And the hard fighting men both of honor and fame? |
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She flew the Stars and Stripes of the land of the free, |
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But tonight she's in her grave on the bottom of the sea. |
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Chorus |
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Tell me, what were their names, tell me, what were their names? |
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Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James? |
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What were their names, tell me, what were their names? |
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The men that went down on the good Reuben James? |
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Well, a hundred men went down in that dark watery grave; |
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When that good ship went down only forty-four were saved. |
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It was the last day of October that we saved the forty-four |
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From the cold ocean waters off that north Iceland shore. |
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Repeat Chorus |
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It was there in the dark of that uncertain night |
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That we watched for the U-boats and we waited for the fight; |
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Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared, |
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And they laid the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor. |
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Repeat Chorus |
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Now tonight there are lights in our country so bright; |
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In the farms and the cities they are telling of this fight. |
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And now the mighty battleships will steam the bounding main |
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And remember the name of that good Reuben James. |
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Repeat Chorus |
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Well, many years have passed since those brave men are gone, |
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And those cold ocean waters now are still and they're calm. |
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Well, many years have passed, but I still wonder why |
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The worst of men must fight and the best of men must die. |
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Repeat Chorus |
