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Reuben James

Chords

5.012 votes

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Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams

[Intro]
B   F#  B
B   F#  B
[Verse]
Have you heard of the ship called the F#good Reuben BJames?
Run by hard fighting men both of F#honour and of Bfame
She flew the stars and stripes of the Eland of the Bfree
But tonight she's in her grave at the F#bottom of the Bsea
[Chorus]
BOh, tell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their names?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?
BTell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their C#mnames?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?
[Verse]
One hundred men went down to their F#dark and watery Bgraves
When that good ship went down, only F#forty-four were Bsaved
'Twas the last day of October, they Esaved forty-Bfour
From the dark icy water of that F#cold Iceland Bshore
[Chorus]
BOh, tell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their names?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?
BTell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their C#mnames?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?
[Verse]
It was there in the dark of that F#cold and watery Bnight
They watched for the U-boats and they F#waited for a Bfight
Then a whine and a rock and a Egreat explosion's Broar
They lay the Reuben James on that F#cold ocean Bfloor
[Chorus]
BOh, tell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their names?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?
BTell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their C#mnames?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?
[Instrumental]
B   F#  B
B   F#  B
B   E  B
B   F#  B
[Verse]
Many years have passed since those F#brave men are Bgone
Those cold, icy waters, they're F#still and they're Bcalm
Many years have passed and Estill I wonder Bwhy
The worst of men must fight and the F#best of men must Bdie
[Chorus]
BOh, tell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their names?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?
BTell me, what were their names?
Tell me, Ewhat were their C#mnames?
Did F#you have a friend on the Bgood Reuben James?

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Reuben James

by The Kingston Trio

Lyrics & chords · Original key

[Intro]

B F# B

[Verse]

F# B

Have you heard of the ship called the good Reuben James?

F# B

Run by hard fighting men both of honour and of fame

E B

She flew the stars and stripes of the land of the free

F# B

But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea

[Chorus]

Oh, tell me, what were their names?

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Tell me, what were their names?

E C#m

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

[Verse]

F# B

One hundred men went down to their dark and watery graves

F# B

When that good ship went down, only forty-four were saved

E B

'Twas the last day of October, they saved forty-four

F# B

From the dark icy water of that cold Iceland shore

[Chorus]

Oh, tell me, what were their names?

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Tell me, what were their names?

E C#m

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

[Verse]

F# B

It was there in the dark of that cold and watery night

F# B

They watched for the U-boats and they waited for a fight

E B

Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion's roar

F# B

They lay the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor

[Chorus]

Oh, tell me, what were their names?

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Tell me, what were their names?

E C#m

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

[Instrumental]

B F# B

B E B

B F# B

[Verse]

F# B

Many years have passed since those brave men are gone

F# B

Those cold, icy waters, they're still and they're calm

E B

Many years have passed and still I wonder why

F# B

The worst of men must fight and the best of men must die

[Chorus]

Oh, tell me, what were their names?

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Tell me, what were their names?

E C#m

Tell me, what were their names?

F# B

Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

About Reuben James Chords by The Kingston Trio

Learn how to play Reuben James by The Kingston Trio with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Reuben James chords”, “Reuben James guitar chords”, or “The Kingston Trio Reuben James chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Reuben James chords and for experienced players who want accurate Reuben James lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include B, F#, E, C#m.

FAQ — Reuben James by The Kingston Trio

How do I play "Reuben James" by The Kingston Trio on guitar?

Open the free chords for "Reuben James" by The Kingston Trio on Free Chord Book. Tap any chord to see its diagram, use transpose to change the key, and turn on auto-scroll to play hands-free.

Are the chords for "Reuben James" by The Kingston Trio free?

Yes. The chords for "Reuben James" by The Kingston Trio are 100% free on Free Chord Book — no sign-up required.

Can I transpose "Reuben James" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "Reuben James" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "Reuben James"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "Reuben James" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "Reuben James" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "Reuben James" by The Kingston Trio with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by The Kingston Trio below.

What key is "Reuben James" in?

The chords for "Reuben James" show the original chord names (including B, F#, E, C#m). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.