Jim Ed Brown - Good Brother John Lyrics

(J. Lea)

(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 told 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 came 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...