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
That was 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 you-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