Song Lyrics

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 you-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?

Alex Harvey, Barry Etris

The duration of Reuben James is 3:27 minutes and seconds.