Jim Ed Brown Good Brother John Lyrics:
On the express bus to the Boot Camp
John came down the aisle
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 taught 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 tom fool white man,
but I swear I'm gonna make you see
John my brother
John my friend
he never borrowed more than he could lend
John stood by me to the very end
good brother John

Two months later in the battle in a place that I couldn't even name
John laid beside me with a rifle and I hated him just the same
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Then the earth blew 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 friend 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 jungle 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 came stumbling back
Lord if I'd've been blind from the very first
I'd've 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 lend
John stood by me to the very end
Good brother John
Good brother John
Good brother John
Good brother John
Lyrics: Good Brother John, Jim Ed Brown [end]