The Sinking Of The Reuben James
Words and Music by 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?
What were their names, tell me, what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James
Well, a hundred men went down in that dark watery grave
When that good ship went down only forty-four were saved.
‘Twas the last day of October we saved the forty-four
From the cold ocean waters and the cold icy shore.
It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
That we watched for the U-boats and waited for a 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’re telling of the fight.
And now our mighty battleships will steam the bounding main
And remember the name of that good Reuben James.
The Kingston Trio recorded this song.
Words and Music by Woody Guthrie
Actually the melody is "Wildwood Flower," which was one of the Carter Family's songs. The melody apparently goes back to 1860.
Nothing unusual with this borrowing of a musical line an setting new words to it. Very common in folk music.
I remember when the Reuben James was sunk. I was in grade school at the time, and thought this was going to get us into the war.