Posted on 12/07/2021 6:20:29 AM PST by Red Badger
“Reuben James” is based on the real-life experiences of songwriter Alex Harvey. He grew up in an environment in which he and his family lived alongside Black people. And to make a long story short, both Harvey and his dad had to rely on such folk for their upbringing during certain challenging junctures in their childhoods.
The narrative focuses on a character named “Reuben James”. The singer often refers to him in the past tense which, considering other clues also, is likely indicative of the fact that he has passed away. And Rogers is recounting his recollections of this man and the impact he had on his life.
In the eyes of the public, James was “just a no-count sharecropping colored man” who was looked down upon as a criminal by the people in the town. The implication is that said residents were White and racist. However, the singer himself remembers Reuben as a good man. For instance, there was the case where he took in the baby, i.e. the “hungry White child”, of a lady who died during childbirth. And he also used to preach the gospel to the singer.
So the overall feeling behind the tune is that “Reuben James” got a bum rap in life. He lived in a racist environment where, despite his inherent goodness, he was looked down upon as an unfavorable individual. But the singer himself is immortalizing him in song and in the process letting it be known he was in fact an upstanding person.
Facts about “Reuben James” Under its original billing, this song was actually dropped by Kenny Rogers alongside his former band, the First Edition. And it came out as part of the band’s “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town” project in 1969. Later it was also featured on Kenny’s famous “Greatest Hits” project of 1980. The label that put out the original was Reprise Records, and in the latter case it was published by Liberty Records.
Indeed this classic is considered to be one of Kenny and the Edition’s most-notable hits. It fared impressively (number 26) on the Hot 100 and also charted in Canada and Oceania.
This song was written by two songwriters, namely:
Barry Etris Alex Harvey
And it was Harvey himself who pestered Kenny, who was at first reluctant, to actually listen to “Reuben James”. And Rogers of course went on to embrace the song.
Songwriters: Barry Etris, Alex Harvey
Reuben James In my song you'll live again
And the phrases that I rhyme
Are just the footsteps out of time
From the time when I knew you
Reuben James
Reuben James, all the folks around Madison County Cussed your name
Just a no-account, sharecropping colored man
Who'd steal anything he can
And everybody laid the blame on Reuben James
Chorus:
Reuben James, for you still walk the furrowed fields of my mind
Faded shirt, your weathered brow
Your calloused hands upon the plow
I loved you then and I love you now, Reuben James
Flora Grey, the gossip of Madison County died with child
And although your skin was black
You were the one that didn't turn your back
On the hungry white child with no name Reuben James
Reuben James, with your mind on my soul
And a Bible in your right hand
You said turn the other cheek
For there's a better world awaiting for the meek
In my mind these words remain from Reuben James
Reuben James one dark cloudy day they brought you from the field
Until your lonely pinebox came
Or Unto your lonely pinebox came
Just a preacher and me in the rain
Just to sing one last refrain for Reuben James
Another 45 I used to listen to.
The point of my post is that the story was actually TRUE!................
I thought it was
“What were their names?
What were their names?
Did you have a friend
on the good Reuben James?”
Reuben James ............. I always thought that was a Destroyer (Escort??) that was sunk/damaged in the Atlantic escorting a Convoy to England. Before we entered WW II.
It was. It was the first US ship sunk. Named for a US Naval hero of the Barbary War era...................
NYT Style Book, the bible of copy editors, now requires black to be capitalized when referencing race, but not white.....................
Thanks. It’s a piece of music history I am now happy to know.
Will come in handy as a conversation piece....................
Johnny Horton
The USS Reuben James was an old four stack, flush deck destroyer from WW1 that was sunk as you described.
There was a great song about it.
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