THE SINKING OF RUBEN JAMES 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? 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. 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. 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? 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. canzoni