Men Behind The Guns lyrics

Artist	Phil Ochs
Album(s)	I Ain't Marching Anymore

Lyrics

Dm c

Let's drink a toast to the admiral

Dm f

And here's to the captain bold

Am dm

And glory more for the commodore

F c

When the deeds of might are told



Dm c

They stand to the deck with the battle's wreck

Dm f

When the great shells roar and pound

Am dm

And never they fear when the foe is near

F c

To lay their orders down--



F dm

But off with your hats and three times three

F c

For every sailor's son

Dm c

For the men below who fight the foe

F c

The men behind the guns:

Am dm

Oh, the men behind the guns



Their hearts a-pounding heavy when

They swing to port once more --

With never enough of the greenback stuff

They start for the leave ashore



And you'd think perhaps the blue-blouse chaps

Had better clothes to wear

For the uniforms of officers

Could hardly be compared:



Warriors bold with straps of gold

That dazzle like the sun

Outshine the common sailor boys

The lads who serve the guns:

Oh, the men behind the guns



Say not a word till the shot is heard

That tells the fight is on

And the angry sound of another round

That says there must be (god? gone??)



Over the deep and the deadly sweep

The fire and the bursting shell

Where the very air is a mad despair

The throes of a living hell



But down and deep in a mighty ship

Unseen by the midday sun

You'll find the boys who make the noise

The lads who serve the guns:

Oh, the men behind the guns



And well they know the cyclone blow

Loose from the cannon's steel

The know the hull of the enemy ship

Will quiver with the (peal?)



And the decks will rock with the lightning shock

And shake with the great recoil

While the sea grows red with the blood of the dead

And swallows up her spoil



But not until the final ship

Has made her final run

Can we give their rest to the very best:

To the lads who serve the guns --

Oh, the men behind the guns



Let's drink a toast to the admiral

And here's to the captain bold

And glory more for the commodore

When the deeds of might are told



They stand to the deck with the battle's wreck

When the great shells roar and pound

And never they fear when the foe is near

To lay their orders down--



But off with your hats and three times three

For every sailor's son

For the men below who fight the foe

The men behind the guns:

Oh, the man behind the gun

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