THE SINKING OF REUBEN JAMES
(Testo e musica di Woody Guthrie)


Have you heard of a ship called the good Reuben James?
Manned by hard fighting men both of honor and 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.

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

One hundred men were drowned in that dark watery grave
When that good ship went down only forty four were saved
Twas the last day of October that we saved the forty four
From the cold icy waters off the cold Iceland shore.

It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
That we watched for the U-boats and waited for the fight
Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared
And they laid the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor.

Now tonight there are lights in our country so bright
In the farms and in the cities they are telling of that fight
And now our mighty battleships will steam the bound­ing main
And remember the name of that good Reuben James.

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






Woody Guthrie > canzoni > This Land Is Your Land - The Asch Recordings Vol 1