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The Sinking of the Reuben James

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Wikipedia article




"'The Sinking of the Reuben James'" is a song by Woody Guthrie about the sinking of the U.S. convoy escort , which was the first U.S. naval ship sunk by German U-boats in World War II. Woody Guthrie had started to write a song including each name on the casualty list of the sinking. This was later replaced by the chorus "tell me what were their names."

The song is set to the melody of "Wildwood Flower", an antebellum tune by Joseph Philbrick Webster. via the Internet Archive.

Recordings



* The Almanac Singers on 'Dear Mr. President' 1942

* Will Geer on 'Bound for Glory' 1958

* The Weavers on 'At Carnegie Hall, Volume 2' 1960

* Johnny Horton on 'Johnny Horton Sings History' 1960

* Oscar Brand on 'Every Inch a Sailor' 1960

* Kingston Trio on 'Close-Up' 1961

* The Chad Mitchell Trio on 'Reflecting' 1963

* Jon Mark and Alun Davies on 'Relax Your Mind' 1963

* Cisco Houston on 'Cisco Houston sings the songs of Woody Guthrie' 1963

* The Highwaymen on 'Homecoming' 1963

* Pete Seeger on 'Waist Deep in the Big Muddy and Other Love Songs' 1967

* James Talley on 'Woody Guthrie and Songs of My Oklahoma Home' 1999

* Folk Family Robinson on 'Songs of America' (2007). Folk Family Robinson is Chris and Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes and their father Stan Robinson.

* Country Joe McDonald on 'Thinking of Woody Guthrie' 1969

References




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