Let's drink a toast to the Admiral
and here's to the Captain Bold
And glory more for the Commodore
when the deeds of might are told
They stand to the deck
through the battle's wreck
when the great shells roar and pound
And never they fear
when the foe is near
to lay their orders down
But off with your hats
and three times three
for every sailor's side
For the men below who fight the foe,
the men behind the guns,
oh, the men behind the guns
Their hearts a -pounding heavy
when they swing the port once more
With nev er enough
of the greenback stuff
they start for the Levis shore
And you'd think perhaps
the blue blouse chaps
had better clothes to wear
For the uniforms of of ficers
could hardly be compared
Warriors bowed with straps of gold
that dazzled like the sun
Out shined the common sailor boys,
the lads who served the guns
Oh, the men behind the guns
But say not a word till the shot is heard
that tells the fight is on
And the angry sound of another round
says they must be gone
Over the deep and the deadly sweep
of the fire and the bursting shell
Where the very air is a mad despair
that throws up a living hell
But down and deep in a mighty ship
unseen by the midday sun
Oh, you find the boys who make the noise,
the lads who serve the guns
Oh, the men behind the gun
And well they know the cyclone
blow loose from the cannon steel
And they know the hull of the enemy ship
will quiver with the feel
And the decks will rock
with a lightning shock
and shake with a great recoil
While the sea grows red
with the blood of the dead
and swallows up her spoil
But not until the final ship
has made her final run
Can we give the rest to the very best,
the lads who serve the guns?
Oh, the men behind the guns
So let's drink a toast to the Admiral
and here's to the Captain bold
And glory more for the Commodore
when the deeds of might are told
They stand to the deck through
the battle's wreck
when the great shells roar and pound
And never they fear
when the foe is near
to lay their orders down
But off with their hats
and three times three
for every sailor's son
For the men below who fight the foe,
the men behind the guns
Oh, the men behind the gun s