The lads who serve the guns
Oh, the men behind the guns
They start for the leave ashore
Over the deep and the deadly sweep
When the great shells roar and pound
And the decks will rock with the lightning shock
But off with your hats and three times three
Their hearts a-pounding heavy
Oh, you'll find the boys who make the noise
And glory more for the commodore
To lay their orders down
When the deeds of might are told
The throes of a living hell
And never they fear when the foe is near
Loose from the cannon's steel
When the deeds of might are told
For every sailor's son
So let's drink a toast to the admiral
Oh, the men behind the guns
Has made her final run
And the angry sound of another round
Where the very air is a mad despair
But down and deep in a mighty ship
And glory more for the commodore
For the uniforms of officers
To lay their orders down
For the men below who fight the foe
For every sailor's son
Oh, the men behind the guns
And they know the hull of the enemy ship
The lads who serve the guns
But say not a word till the shot is heard
With never enough of the greenback stuff
Oh, the fire and the bursting shell
Outshine the common sailor boys
Had better clothes to wear
Says there must be gone
They stand to the deck with the battle's wreck
That dazzle like the sun
And well, they know the cyclone blow
While the sea grows red with the blood of the dead
Oh, the men behind the guns
Warriors bold with straps of gold
And never they fear when the foe is near
And you'd think perhaps the blue-blouse chaps
For the men below who fight the foe
When they swing to port once more
But not until the final ship
Could hardly be compared
And here's to the captain bold
Will quiver with the peal
The lads who serve the guns
But off with your hats and three times three
And shake with the great recoil
They stand to the deck with the battle's wreck
And swallows up her spoil
Can we give their rest to the very best:
When the great shells roar and pound
The men behind the guns
The men behind the guns
That tells the fight is on
Unseen by the midday sun
