Johnny Home

Gather round for a story to be had
Of a six-foot-six strapping lad
He’d enlist to the navy of his own ports and
Make a name and then return home
A towering man, quiet and shy
Hugged his kids and kissed his wife goodbye
And he said «Young Billy, don’t you cry, for soon I’ll be coming home»
And she wished Johnny would stay home
Johnny came aboard with a gleam in his eye
On the dock below, there stood his wife
Smiling and waving as she said goodbye
And to me, she yelled, «Bring Johnny home!»
Never had we seen such a faulty man
With a thirst for knowledge, and a course well planned
He spoke of his family again and again
And the life he soon would sow
Yeah, we’d all see Johnny home
Now we’d all see Johnny home someday
To his wife and kids assuring «It's okay»
We’d eat and we’d drink and we’d end our day
With a sad old sailors song
And we’d all see Johnny home someday
We’d reminisce and we’d laugh and we’d
Watch the kids play
Talk about how we’re gonna spend our days
Yeah, we’d all see Johnny home
Captain was an undaunted man
He swore he knew his enemy all firsthand
And we knew someday he’d make his stand
If again their paths did cross
It was dark as hell on a ghostly night
The cannon-fire was the only light
And what we saw next was a sickening sight
And the Captain’s life was gone
To the battle, we all saw Johnny run!
Johnny jumped in without a fear for his life
As the enemy boarded our starboard side
We were fifteen down and droppin' like flies
When I saw Johnny’s eyes turn red
And he let forth a scream and a ravenous might
With a pistol in his left and a cutlass in his right
Like a wild hurricane, he commenced to fight
This battle’s not finished yet
And to Johnny we owe our debt
Now we’d all see Johnny home someday
To his wife and kids assuring «It's okay»
We’d eat and we’d drink and we’d end our day
With a sad old sailors song
And we’d all see Johnny home someday
We’d reminisce and we’d laugh and we’d
Watch the kids play
Talk about how we’re gonna spend our days
Yeah, we’d all see Johnny home
Then the crew joined in into the ship we breach
With a newfound vigor of ten men each
Some did die, and some did flee
But in the end, our crew stood tall
Then we all looked at Johnny, now covered in blood
He collapsed to his knees, cursing Hell and above
«Woe me punishment here what have I done?»
And he muttered «I felled them all»
And we all saw Johnny fall
And we all saw Johnny home that day
To his wife and kids assuring «It's okay»
We told them of the battle on the fifth of May
And not a braver man had fought
And we all piped down when she started to cry
Then she fell down beside him and she said «Goodbye»
And the children fell in with her by her side
For the loss, time stood still
And then anger ensued for the months of prayers
That went unanswered
And she drew back her long dark hair
And we watched as she died a little bit right there
Then she stood and addressed me as «Sir»
«Thank God you brought Johnny home»