Men Behind The Guns Lyrics - Phil Ochs

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 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 

But say not a word till the shot is heard 

That tells the fight is on 

And the angry sound of another round 

Says there must be gone 

Over the deep and the deadly sweep 

Oh, 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 

Oh, 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 

And they 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: 

The lads who serve the guns 

Oh, the men behind the guns 

So 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