Thanks, Johnny Horton, for "Sink The Bismarck" (it happened his day in history).

history channel.com | May 27, 2003 | history channel.com

[tame]

1941 Bismarck sunk by Royal Navy

On May 27, 1941, the British navy sinks the German battleship Bismarck in the North Atlantic near France. The German death toll was more than 2,000.

On February 14, 1939, the 823-foot Bismarck was launched at Hamburg. Nazi leader Adolf Hitler hoped that the state-of-the-art battleship would herald the rebirth of the German surface battle fleet. However, after the outbreak of war, Britain closely guarded ocean routes from Germany to the Atlantic Ocean, and only U-boats moved freely through the war zone.

In May 1941, the order was given for the Bismarck to break out into the Atlantic. Once in the safety of the open ocean, the battleship would be almost impossible to track down, all the while wreaking havoc on Allied convoys to Britain. Learning of its movement, Britain sent almost the entire British Home Fleet in pursuit. On May 24, the British battle cruiser Hood and battleship Prince of Wales intercepted it near Iceland. In a ferocious battle, the Hood exploded and sank, and all but three of the 1,421 crewmen were killed. The Bismarck escaped, but because it was leaking fuel it fled for occupied France. On May 26, it was sighted and crippled by British aircraft, and on May 27 three British warships descended on the Bismarck and finished it off.

[tame]

I love Johnny Horton's music. When I was a little boy my dad responded to a Television ad by ordering a two tape set of Johnny Horton's greatest hits (those were eight track tapes, by the way). I wore those tapes out by listening to them over and over again. The lyrics were so patriotic and...well...conservative.

Johnny Horton's songs helped to instill in me a deep sense of patriotism and love for my country. Sink The Bismarck was one of his greatest hits. In fact, the first time I heard about the Bismarck was as a boy listening to this tune.

Thank you Johnny Horton, and thanks to our British allies who helped us in WW2 and who are helping us in our War on Terror.

Here are the words to that Sink The Bismarck:

" In May of 1941 the war had just begun.

The Germans had the biggest ship. They had the biggest guns.

The Bismarck was the fastest ship that ever sailed the sea.

On her decks were guns as big as steers, and shells as big as trees.

Out of the cold and foggy night came the Briish ship The Hood.

And every British Sea-man, he knew and understood

they had to sink the Bismarck, the terror of the sea-

Stop those guns as big as steers and those shells as big as trees.

*CHORUS*:

We'll find that German battleship that's makin' such a fuss!

We gotta sink the Bismarck 'cause the world depends on us!

Hit the decks a'runnin', boys, and spin those guns around!

'Cause when we find the Bismarck we gotta cut her down!

*End Chorus*

The Hood found the Bismarck, and on that fatal day

the Bismarck started firin' fifteen miles away.

"We gotta sink the Bismarck!" was the battle sound,

but when the smoke had cleared away the mighty hood went down.

For six long days and weary nights they tried to find her trail.

Churchill told the people "Put every ship a-sail,

'cause somewhere on that ocean I know she's gotta be!

We gotta sink the Bismarck to the bottom of the sea!"

*Repeat Chorus*

The fog was gone the seventh day and they say the mornin' sun.

Ten hours away from homeland the Bismarck made its run.

The Admiral of the British fleets said "Turn those bows around!

"We found that German battleship and we're gonna cut her down!"

The British guns were aimed and the shells were comin' fast.

The first shell hit the Bismarck--They knew she couldn't last.

That mighty German battleship is just a memory.

"Sink the Bismarck!" was the battle cry that shook the seven seas.

*End Chorus*

We found that German battleship a'makin' such a fuss.

We had to sink the Bismarck 'cause the world depends on us.

We hit the deck a'runnin' and we spun those guns around.

Yeah, we found that mighty Bismarck and begun to cut her down.

We found that German battleship a'makin' such a fuss.

We had to sink the Bismarck 'cause the world depends on us.

We hit the deck a'runnin' and we spun those guns around.

We found that mighty Bismarck and then we cut her down."

[Loyalist]

When I was living in Wellington, New Zealand, the same guy would phone the oldies station there (Solid Gold FM) and request 'Sink the Bismarck' every night.

Why he didn't just buy a freaking blank tape and record it, I'll never know.

[tame]

Correction. It happened on this day in history.

[mikeb704]

Why he didn't just buy a freaking blank tape and record it, I'll never know.

Perhaps he just wanted others to hear the song and story.

Michael M. Bates: My Side of the Swamp

[tame]

When I was living in Wellington, New Zealand, the same guy would phone the oldies station there (Solid Gold FM) and request 'Sink the Bismarck' every night.

Why he didn't just buy a freaking blank tape and record it, I'll never know.

He probably had one and just wanted to share it with everyone:-) Maybe he wis granddad fought on one of the British ships against the Bismarck???

[battlegearboat]

"In 1814 we took a little trip

Along with Col. Jackson down the mighty Miss-a-sip"

Is that a Johnny Horton Song also?

I recall singing that song at summer camp in Missouri (Kamp Ke Mo)on Lake Tannycomo.

Them was the days, I tell ya!

[tame]

It was on this day in history that the Bismarck was sunk thanks to our allies then (and now in the war on terror). I LOVE this song...and many others by Johnny Horton.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Yes it is. Those were his two best. I loved them both as a kid.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Johnny Horton's songs helped to instill in me a deep sense of patriotism and love for my country.

Me too. Battle of New Orleans is another all time favorite. I downloaded several Horton songs from Kazaa.

[tame]

Is that a Johnny Horton Song also?

Yes, it is! (It's titles The Battle of New Orleans) It's probably his biggest hit. He also sang North To Alaska which was featured on a John Wayne movie by the same title (and I LOVE that song, as well as the Battle of New Orleans).

[Ingtar]

A Sleeping At The Foot Of
All For The Love Of A Girl
All Grown Up
Alley Girl Ways
Another Woman Wears My
A-Sleeping At The Foot Of The Bed
Baby Ride With Me
Back To My Back Street
Back Up Train
Battle Of Bull Run
Battle Of New Orleans
Battle Of New Orleans (British Version)
Bawlin' Baby
Because I'm A Jealous Man
Betty Lorraine (Betty Lou)
Big Wheels Rollin'
Birds And Butterflies
Bluebird Blues
Broken Hearted Gypsy
Candy Jones
'Cause You're The One For Me
Cherokee Boogie
Child's Side Of Life
Chocolate Drop
Church By The Side Of The Road
Coal, Smoke, Valve Oil and Steam
Color And Kind
Comanche (The Brave Horse)
Confusion
Counterfeit Love
Dark Haired Beauty From Cuba
Decoration Day Blues
Devil Made A Masterpiece
Devil Sent Me You
Devilish Love Light
Done Rovin'
Don't Move Anymore Baby
Don't Use My Heart For A Stepping Stone
Dorothy Mae
Down That River Road
Egg Money
Electrified Donkey
Empty Bed Blues
Everytime I'm Kissing You
Evil Hearted Me
First Train Headin' South
From Memphis To Mobile
Give Me Back My Picture A
Go And Wash Your Dirty Feet
Go North
Golden Rocket
Goodbye Lonesome (Hello, Baby Doll)
Gosh Darn Wheel
Got The Bull By The Horns
Ha Ha And Moonface
Hank, Joe, and Me
Happy Millionare
Hey, Sweet Thing
Honky Tonk Hardwood Floor
Honky Tonk Jelly Roll Blues
Honky Tonk Man
Honky Tonk Mind (The Woman I Need)
Hooray For That Little Difference
Hot In The Sugarcane Field
How Many More Years
How You Gonna Make It
I Can't Forget You
I Don't Like I Did Before
I Got A Hole In My Pirogue
I Got A Slow Leak In My
I Got A Woman (Sweet Woman)
I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Livin'
I Love You Baby
I Wish Heartaches Were Strangers
I Won't Forget
I Won't Get Dreamy Eyed
I'll Do It Every Time
I'm A Fishin' Man
I'm A One-Woman Man
I'm Coming Home
I'm Ready If You're Willing
I'm The One That Breaks In Two
In My Home In Shelby County
In The Mood (Everybody's)
It's A Long Rocky Road
Janey
Jim Bridger
Joe's Been A Gettin' There
John Paul Jones
Johnny Freedom
Johnny Reb
Journey With No End
Just Walk A Little Closer
Let's Take The Long Way Home
Lonesome And Heartbroken
Lost Highway
Love And Tell
Lover's Rock
Mansion You Stole
Mean, Mean Son Of A Gun
Meant So Little To You
Miss Marcy
Move Down The Line
Mr. Highway Man (Cadillac Daddy)
Mr. Moonlight
My Heart Stopped, Trembled And Died
No True Love
None Of You But All Of Me
North To Alaska
Old Blind Barnabas
Old Dan Tucker
Ole Slew Foot
O'Leary's Cow
On The Banks Of The Beautiful Nile
Out In New Mexico
Over Loving You
Plaid And Calico
Rest Of Your Life
Ridin' The Sunshine Special
Rock Island Line
Rhythm In My Baby's Walk
S.S. Lureline
Sal's Got A Sugar Lip
Sam Magee
Same Old Tale That The Crow Told Me
Schottische In Texas
Seven Come Eleven
Shadows On The Old Bayou
Shake, Rattle And Roll
She Knows Why
Shotgun Boogie
Sink the Bismark
Sinking Of Reuben James
Sleepy-Eyed John
Smokey Joe's Barbecue
Snow Shoe Thompson
Somebody's Rockin' My Broken Heart
Streets Of Dodge
Sugar Coated Baby
Take It Like A Man
Take Me Like I Am
Talk Gobbler Talk (Old Gobbler, The Hound Dog)
Tell My Baby I Love Her
Tennessee Jive
Tetched In The Head
That Boy Got The Habit
There'll Never Be Another Mary
They Shined Up Rudolph's Nose
They'll Never Take Her Love From Me
This Won't Be The First Time
Train With A Rhumba Beat
Two Eyed Sunday Pants
Two Red Lips And Warm Red Wine
Vanishing Race
Wedding Ring
Well That's All Right
What Will I Do Without You
When It's Springtime In Alaska (It's Forty Below)
Where Are You
Where Do You Think You Would Stand
Whispering Pines
Why Did It Happen To Me
Wild One
Wise To The Ways Of A Woman
Witch Walking Baby Woman I need
Won't You Love Me, Love, Love Me
Words
You Cry In The Door Of Your Mansion
You Don't Move Me Baby Anymore
You, You, You (Caused This Heartache)
Young Abe Lincoln (Make a Tall, Tall Man)
You're My Baby

[tame]

I downloaded several Horton songs from Kazaa.

I'm a Neanderthal. I still don't know how to do that.

[tame]

I love the later version of his song "I'm ready, if your willing"

[BOBTHENAILER]

I'm a Neanderthal. I still don't know how to do that.

It took my kids to show me how.

[battlegearboat]

Ah yes, The Battle Of New Orleans

Thanks Ingtar.

[tame]

On this day in history...

[xkaydet65]

Johnny Horton deserves credit for popularizing the Battle Of New Orleans, but the actual song, words and melody is as old as the Battle itself. Being a true folk song it was in public domain when Horton discovered it, altered a few of the words, especially the stanza about the gator , and recorded it. He got a lot of grief because it mocked the Brits who of course had been loyal allies for 50 years at that point.

[tame]

He got a lot of grief because it mocked the Brits who of course had been loyal allies for 50 years at that point.

And I thought Mel Gibson in the Patriot would offend them:-)

[Gadsden]

The Sinking Of The Rueben James - Johnny Horton

INTRO: What were their names, tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

Have you heard of a ship called that good Reuben James?
Manned by hard-fighting men both of honor and fame
She flew the Stars and Stripes of the Land of the Free
But tonight she's in her grave at the bottom of the sea.

CHORUS
What were their names, tell me what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?
Tell me, what were their names, what were their names?
Did you have a friend on the good Reuben James?

It was there in the dark of that uncertain night
That we waited for U-boats and waited for that fight
Then a whine and a rock and a great explosion roared
And they laid the Reuben James on that cold ocean floor.

CHORUS

Now, tonight there are lights in our country so bright
On the farms and the cities they're tellin' of that fight
And now our mighty battleships will sail the bounding main
And remember the men of the good Reuben James.

CHORUS

Note. From Johnny Horton Makes History - Columbia CS-8269
The REUBEN JAMES was the first American warship
lost in World War II, torpedoed by German U-boats on


I've always loved that song best of all Johnny Hrton's songs.

[Jonah Hex]

Thanks! I have a copy of "Sink the Bismarck" on DVD and will watch it tonight.