What were their names tell me what were their names
Did you have a friend on the Good Reuben James
What were their names

Have you heard of a ship called that good Reuben James
Stand by hard figting 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
What were their names
[ banjo ]
It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
That we waited for your U-boats and waited for that fight
Then a whine and a rock and the great explosion roared
And they sank that Reuben James to the cold ocean floor
What were their names
[ guitar ]
Now tonight there are lights in our country so bright
On the farms and the cities they're tellin' of that fight
And now our mighty battle ships will sail the bounding main
And remember the name of that Good Reauben James
What were their names
What were their names