Jim Ed Brown Good Brother John Lyrics

Good Brother John Lyrics

(Good brother John)

On the express bus to the Boot Camp John came down the isle

All I could see in the inky black night was a warm but weary smile

He said friend could I sit here by you I cussed him as he sat down

Because everything anybody talk me made me hate this stranger John

John my brother John my friend I cussed him once and I cussed him again

John stood by me to the very end good brother John

Two GI's on an airplane headed for a distant place

John was honest and friendly till I cussed him and spit in his face

Well I thought I'd be a dead man before John turned loose of me

He said you're nothin' but a tomfool whiteman but I swear I'm gonna make you
see

John my brother John my friend he never borrowed more than he could land

John stood by me to the very end good brother John

Two months later in the battle in the place that I couldn't even name

John laid beside me with a rifle and I hated him just the same

Then the earth flew up beneath me in a second my eyes were gone

Then a hand fell on my shoulder and a voice said it's me John

(Good brother John good brother John)

I said get away boy who needs you he said frind you're comin' with me

Now that somebody's made you blind maybe you can learn to see

Then he picked me up on his shoulders and lifted me off of the ground

But when he stood up straight as a pine tree somebody shot him down

John my brother John my friend gave up his soul to the jumble wind

John stood by me to the very end good brother John

Now I make my way in the darkness but one thing I clearly see

God's good world is full of fine men and they don't all look like me

That lesson cost John his poor life while I can't stumbling back

Lord if I'd've been blind from the very first I'd never known John was
black

John my brother John my friend I cussed him once and I cussed him again

John stood by me to the very end good brother John

John my brother John my friend he never borrowed more than he could land

John stood by me to the very end good brother John

Good brother John good brother John good brother John