Reuben James - The Kingston Trio

Have you heard of the ship called the good Reuben James?

Run by 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 Reuben James?

Oh, 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 went down to their dark and watery graves

When that good ship went down, only forty-four were saved

'Twas the last day of October, they saved forty-four

From the dark icy water 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 Reuben James?

Oh, 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 cold and watery night

They watched for the U-boats and they waited for a fight

Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion’s roar

They lay the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor

Oh, tell me, what were their names?

Tell me, what were their names?

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Oh, tell me, what were their names?

Tell me, what were their names?

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben 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

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 Reuben James?

Oh, tell me, what were their names?

Tell me, what were their names?

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Songwriters: Woody Guthrie, Fred Hellerman and Joseph Webster