Arlo Guthrie - The Sinking Of The Reuben James Lyrics






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.





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Arlo Guthrie The Sinking Of The Reuben James Comments
  1. L.... L....

    Who’s listening to this in 1945... Ehhh

  2. M.... G....

    Sounds like Wildwood Flower

  3. D.... M....

    Woody borrowed the tune of "The Wildwood Flower."

    D.... M....

    correction - "ill twine 'mid the ringlets" - Maud Irving

  4. K.... F....

    The first American casualties of the Second World War. She took a hit meant for a Merchant Ship. She's a hero.

    K.... F....

    Before the Second World War, Germany hadn't declared war yet on America.

  5. g.... u....

    Remember the El Faro. 33 souls gone. No survivors. Sunk October 15 2015 Hurricane Joaquin. US flag

  6. R.... I....

    My names Reuben james😊

    R.... I....

    We have the same first name.

    R.... I....

    You bear a proud name sir.

    R.... I....

    A good name indeed. Immortalized in the Guthrie's music

  7. s.... ....

    I love this song.

    s.... ....

    You have my name!(my full 1st name is Justin). For a minute, I thought I wrote that. Great song.

  8. E.... C....

    Woody Guthrie, Adopt me

    E.... C....

    I'd rather just enjoy Woody's music then have him as a parent. I've read some about his life (he's one of my heroes) and there are many sad stories of his failures as a family man. I do realize you said your comment in jest, I'm just saying.

  9. E.... C....

    AMazing

  10. W.... S....

    All the best for Halloween/All Hallows' Eve to the souls that went down on the Reuben James!

  11. A.... V....

    75 years ago today...

  12. B.... m....

    Our friend, Earl Jaeggi, was aboard the Reuben James when it sunk. He was one of those who survived. Earl died last week. One week after his 97th birthday. Earl was a very great man. Our hearts are broken.

    B.... m....

    I can't add anything more to what you stated. The Merchant Marine got short shrift of the WWII accolades. @JPV JPV

    B.... m....

    @JPV JPV As USN and USMM sailor, I agree.... BUT, we do all know that the James was a US Navy Destroyer and that the USN had been in an undeclared naval war with Germany for some time when this happened, right?

    B.... m....

    Thank you for sharing this with us. His mission is now accomplished, for sure.

    B.... m....

    @JPV JPVoh my oh my. 3 times? Incredible

    B.... m....

    My very regards to one of those whose courage helped return my country from barbary.

  13. w.... ....

    Every man aboard was my friend. I seethe with anger.

  14. E.... ....

    <~~~~~~Tin can sailor. I hate the fact that this lefty creep mocks their sacrifice !

    E.... ....

    Gene Jackson youra daft fucking hippie

    E.... ....

    Mocks their deaths? Did you actually listen to the song? It calls for the sailors who died to be remembered, not mocks them!

    E.... ....

    Navy veteran here, 24 years. Most World War 2 vets were New Dealers.

    E.... ....

    Also a tin can sailor and son of another one, he was in the battle of the Atlantic. This and Auld Ange Sine ( sp) were the only songs that got to him.

    E.... ....

    Learn English you moron.

  15. C.... A....

    I saw the Reuben James get hit.

    C.... A....

    +Chris Albertson Thank you for sharing.

    C.... A....

    Chris Albertson. You were probably close enough to see the smoke. Glad you survived, thanks for sharing

    C.... A....

    Chris, true? Tell us more my friend

    C.... A....

    Sorry to say Chris passed away on April 24, 2019

    C.... A....

    @Robert Garcia Rest in Peace Chris

  16. J.... S....

    yeah, I would have thought Woody Guthrie was a pacifist or isolationist like 8o% of Americans in 1941 before Pearl Harbor. So it's surprising for him to be writing a tribute to Americans killed in action before US was officially in the war. But maybe his politics were more complicated (what do I know?) and like noted previously, he was above all anti-fascist Germany (like FDR)

    J.... S....

    Ahnn... Woody Guthrie was a genius. ☺

  17. A.... M....

    Wildwood Flower is used for tune on verses only. The tune for the chorus is not and is generally regarded s original. Nevermind, it's all folk process. Many learned from Carter Family. #2. Why is the ocean between Newfoundland and Iceland a "war zone" and OK for Nazi unrestricted submarine warfare?

    A.... M....

    The Germans had declared a "Blockade Zone" in which U-Boats attacked any convoys bound for Britain -- the idea was to choke the British into submission by depriving them of needed supplies. FDR in response had already arranged for US ships to accompany and protect such convoys as far as Iceland. He was, of course, to stick with nautical terminology, sailing very close to the wind given the strong anti-war sentiment in the US. One incident preceded the sinking of the Reuben James: On Sept. 4th, 1941 a German U-Boat fired a torpedo at the USS Greer which -- although FDR scrupulously refrained from mentioning it at the time -- had been pursuing the U-Boat for some three hours before the U-Boat fired (a British plane had alerted the Greer to the presence of the U-Boat). FDR exploited the incident to issue a new directive, namely that US ships were immediately to attack any German U-Boat in any waters which the US deemed vital to its security. This was the state of affairs when the US Reuben James was sunk. The American public was virulently isolationist at the time, and FDR had to work against that as he incrementally prepared the country for the inevitable -- hence the very carefully calibrated steps against the Germans' declaration of the waters between Newfoundland and Iceland as part of their "Blockade Zone". FDR once remarked that the most frightening thing about being a leader was looking over your shoulder and seeing that nobody was following you.

  18. S.... S....

    The Reuben James was sunk a month before Pearl Harbour protecting a convoy headed for the UK: Given that Woody Guthrie had "this machine kill fascists" on his Guitar I'd suggest this song was his outrage that no one celebrated the sacrifice of gallant Americans helping to fight a universal evil

    S.... S....

    +Shaun Salter Yeah, but didn't make a peep about Stalin starving the Ukrainians to death, shipping out their wheat overseas to make it look like his 5 year plan was successful. Communism was Woody's brand of totalitarianism

  19. C.... B....

    The best Dylan comes from Woody Guthrie

  20. w.... m....

    Reuben James. Is a story of seamen not coming home Navy Fisherman Seamen and all of the rest. Just working men paying there bills. Good people. Cold grave RIP. also The first US navy Ship sank in the second world war, 14 mos. before the start of WW2
    We sold and loaned many four pipe junk old ships to the British most were sunk in the other ocean, Pacific with all hands lost, This is there song also what are there names. The Heros The head stones. lots of great and frightened men. Thanks

  21. z.... ....

    and the officer who torpedoed reuben james and got a "ritterkreutz" for his efforts was commander /korvettenkapitän Erich Topp, 4 stripes) he endet his career as a rear admiral in NATO! It should have endet at the end of a rope in 1945 for war-crimes, cause the sinking happened on 31st october 1941!! Do the math!!

    z.... ....

    If history is to be beleived, the US ships were attempting to sink the submarines. Also, the convoys were basically blocade runners.

    z.... ....

    Perhaps FDR should've been executed, too. I'm just as patriotic as the next guy, & FDR was a great president, but he ordered technically neutral American ships to attack U Boats in "economically necessary" regions. If you wanna talk nazis who were given good jobs instead of executions, I suggest you check out Operation Paperclip.

  22. F.... F....

    Here is one of our greatest unsung icons,before there was such a thing. And Arlo is awesome in his own right. Running down the road. great song and album.

  23. R.... E....

    Bob Dylan won't be remembered for his voice. The writing transcends the voices. Woody Guthrie is the second greatest song-writer in American history, right behind Bob Dylan; and Dylan wouldn't have been who he was without Guthrie. "pretty well" indeed.

    R.... E....

    Russell Eberts BINGO

  24. M.... M....

    You have a friend on that good Reuben James.

  25. t.... ....

    Woody Guthrie couldn't sing to save his life. He could write pretty well, though.

    t.... ....

    I thought he sang well. It's all subjective. Then again I think both Frank Proffit and Peter Laughner sang well, which I'm probably in the minority. (completely random names)

  26. I.... ....

    The Internationals were sent out of Catalonia after it was cut off from the Republic by the Requetes and Nationalists in 1938. Catalonia at that time was wracked by bitter internal dissension between the Republican factions ie. the PSUC and POUM (anarcho syndicalists and the Party.)

  27. I.... ....

    Even if you have the temerity to sneer at the accounts of George Orwell over his disenchantment with "the Party" would you also say the same for the literature of Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison that echoed similar sentiments? And guess whose parents were called in for a "self criticism meeting" but never bothered to show up??

  28. A.... C....

    (... cont)

    Until he was on one night attack where he spent most of his time flat on his face in the mud and hiding behind a sandbag wall, didn't fire his gun, and missed when he threw his mills bombs (though he claimed he may have got a rifleman later with one of them). His only "contact" with the enemy was chasing a naked man (except for a blanket clutched round him) with his bayonet.

    Not exactly a great military record.

    He spent more time in Barcelona than anywhere else.

  29. A.... C....

    He was in Spain a short time (about 6 months, not 2 years as you implied), the minority of that on the Aragon front. In his own words, where he was, nothing ever happened.

    (... cont)

  30. T.... S....

    He was part of a brigade, spent time in trenches with a weapon, fired that weapon at his enemy, and was shot in the throat. Just because his brigade was unorganized and had little training doesn't mean he didn't fight.

  31. A.... C....

    "fought in Catalonia" - Hah, Eric Blair "fought" did he, dream on.

  32. K.... D....

    Of course if they didn't play ads you and I would not be listening.

  33. A.... ....

    One of my favourite Guthrie songs!

  34. e.... ....

    this was during ww2

  35. e.... ....

    Woody Guthrie tried to get into USO...wonder why they didn't accept him?
    anyway......
    "his friends Cisco Houston and Jim Longhi pressured Guthrie to join the U.S. Merchant Marine.[51] Guthrie followed their advice: he served as a mess man and dishwasher and frequently sang for the crew and troops to buoy their spirits on transatlantic voyages"wiki

  36. c.... ....

    Read some of the verses they don't teach you in elementary school. This one, for example:

    In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
    Near the relief office - I see my people
    And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
    If this land's still made for you and me.

    Rant about capitalism is a fair charge. And while I'm not sure you could peg Woody with a label as simple as Communist, he was pretty dang left wing.

  37. w.... ....

    Yep, that's where the tune came from. Words, of course, by Woody.

  38. e.... s....

    thanks for the post

  39. D.... W....

    Uncle Edwin E Wray seaman 1st.
    God rest his young soul.

  40. R.... ....

    Not really a "rant about capitalism". It was a great folk song speaking out aginst the privatization of public lands.

  41. s.... ....

    TIL: Woody Guthrie was a communist and "This land is your land" is a rant about capitalism.

  42. R.... M....

    holy fuck my first name is reuben. middle name is james. thats how if found this video. another mind fuck is that my birthday is august 3rd and thats the day this was uploaded. too bad not the same year.

  43. 1.... ....

    Woody was an AMERICAN folk singer, not an american president that marched into Viet Nam, Korea, and/or Afganistan just because they could (without a vote by congress that is leagally required before going to war). Woody had enough material for his songs in the USA without meddling in foreign issues.

    1.... ....

    North Korea attacked, and the United Nations fought back. Afghanistan gave shelter and support to our active enemies who attacked us, and defended them. Viet Nam was the defense of South Viet Nam.
    Where did you learn "history"?

    1.... ....

    & the US was a saint in all this?

    1.... ....

    @bluskies1000
    Well so you approve thenuclear bombing and the killing of innocent if UN accept it ? I refuse myself assassination of Nations whatever UN vote. And even when UN vote USA never respect is gets no sanctions...
    Even US journalists and soldiers have been schocked by what you could in NK after bombing ; same as in Hiroshima -using radioactiv elements.
    What would you say the time UN accept USA to be bombed ? I suppose you would approve. Aren't you a legalist ?
    I can't stand what the USA do all over the World, but I consider US government and the interests it represents is one thing, American people are another... so I'd refuse bombing in any case.

    1.... ....

    @jeanpi314159 In the arguments about the use of the atomic bombs on Japan, nothing is said about possibly the millions of Japanese civilians who would have died horrible deaths in mass suicides or in a futile defense of their homeland and emperor, had the war not been brutally but rapidly ended by the A-bombs. It was a hellish solution to an even more hellish situation.

  44. I.... ....

    @DBMalone Unrestricted submarine warfare doomed the Imperial German war effort in WW1 and came back to haunt the Nazis in WW2. Adm. Raeder learned nothing from Ludendorff's failure. Ludendorff- no shrinking violet himself- warned Germans of Hitler's arrogance and violent proclivities.

  45. D.... M....

    @IanHunedoara8 Unless you consider the Americans who were embarked aboard RMS Lusitania, sunk by U-20 on May 7, 1915 during the First World War.

  46. D.... M....

    @KMO325 Same tune...

  47. I.... ....

    @zzPinkTacozz37 George Orwell fought in Catalonia 1936-38 and would have had no problem with anything I said. So tell me what exactly is it that I don't know what I'm talking about.

  48. z.... ....

    @IanHunedoara8 man you have NO idea what your talking about

  49. I.... ....

    The troubadors of the Left did the bidding of the Party. From Sept 1 1939 until 6/22/41 the CP claimed the Great Britain was fighting an "imperialist war" against Germany as long as Molotov-Ribbentrop was in effect and Trotsky and his followers were being hunted down like animals.Did Woody ever sing about the rape of Poland by BOTH Germany AND Russia?

    I.... ....

    ...Which is great when you have Polish, Russian, & German Ancestry like me...

    I.... ....

    @Galaxy Animal
    Unless you did forget that Poland was recreated by Lenin's decret. Allied supported Poland only in the case of win of the Revolution - otherwise, they'd support tsarism to occupy polish region - ( Rosa Luxemburg was against, for she thought Bourgeoisie would take the power in Polande. As a French , I can tell you there so many people who had to leave fascist Poland ( first Pilsudsky ( allowed by Austria secret service to start the 1914 War for them by attacking Russia in august ) and then dictator Beck, who sign in 1934 an agreement with German nazi against USSR,ten attacked in 1938 Ceskoslovakia after Münich agreement and took a part of this land.
    But coming back to 1918, Poland attacked Russia ( that created Poland) with 13 other country, then Poland violated international agreements by occupy russian-speaking territories 200 to 300 km east from Curzon !
    Thus, you know well USSR had to recover its territories to prevent German nazi to be to close from strategic points in USSR.
    Moreover, if you study a map with military polish positions and defenses in 1939, they all are turned to the East. and that explain why Poland resigned just in a few days after German invasions.
    In France, Polish who were antifascist were also anti-Pilsudsky and anti-Beck ( both criminal toward their own folk) and those Polish took a great role in the French Resistance, especially in Paris around.
    I knew some of these resistant - communist of course? And now Poland bannish their heroic names... But History will judge !

  50. I.... ....

    @teenonator Unrestricted submarine warfare in W. Atlantic and Caribbean was a violation of the Monroe Doctrine

  51. Y.... ....

    @teenonator Bloodoath 88 is a Nazi fuck who should just drop dead. As for Germans, remember Ernst Thaelmann & the International Brigades. Kurt Vonnegut was of German descent. Also a great man. Never be ashamed by what you are. It's who you are that matters. And you're a good fellow, I think!

  52. d.... ....

    I did have a friend on the Reuben James. He survived, and wore a tattoo on his forearm for ever after that read "USS reuben James" What was his name? Lierow.

  53. G.... ....

    @KMO325 Yup, WWG "borrowed" the melody to Wildwood Flower!

  54. m.... d....

    @KMO325 Pretty much.

  55. T.... ....

    @bloodoath88 whatever go to hell all you fascists bound to lose

  56. t.... ....

    @bloodoath88 Sorry, I usually don't call names, but you're a DUMBASS!! The DDs of the US Navy weren't escorting only British ships, but any country's merchant ships. That had to be done thanks to Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare. That almost worked for them, like it almost worked in WWI. Of course, Fascist fucks like Hitler, Goering, Himmler, & the rest were who made MY German ancestors anathema to most of the world, & so disgusted mein Grossvater that he quit the Bund

  57. J.... M....

    Actually I would like to know the name of the three US Destroyers that were sunk. All I am aware of is the USS Rueben James and one other that was only torpedoed but not sunk was on 10/17/41the USS Kearny DD-432 in the North Atlantic by Submarine Torpedo (1) and only damaged. It was 10/31/41that the USS Reuben James DD-245 Off Western Iceland attacked Submarine Torpedo (1 or 2) and Lost. It was 2/28/42 before another US Destroyer was lost or damaged to German Action.

  58. K.... M....

    @TheLimberlostGirl I'm sure Woody Guthrie would be ever so proud knowing one of his fans has such a narrow-minded outlook. Fuck YOU, TheLimberlostGirl--I'm entitled to my opinion, and to express it, as you or anyone else.

  59. T.... ....

    @endora60

    Get bent, and shut your mouth about Woody and Willie.

  60. B.... T....

    Um, what? His voice is great. its a country folk song.

  61. L.... E....

    I've tried so hard to like Woody Guthrie's version of just about any tune, because he's...well, he's authentic as hell, isn't he? But I can't enjoy anything about any song he does; his voice is at least as irritating as Willie Nelson's. Great song, lousy delivery.

  62. R.... W....

    Woody was a great man, this MAN killed facsists

  63. P.... J....

    Both Wildwood Flower (Carter Family) and this song take from the 1860 song "I'll Twine 'Mid the Ringlets".

  64. B.... G....

    Sure is the same air -well spotted !

  65. r.... ....

    ty duck!