I am an orphan, in a body made of steel,
I rolled off the Brooklyn Navy yard in nineteen fifteen
I don't look so bad now,
For all the miles that I feel,
But I want to go home, I want to go back home
And I grew up fast, and tried not to choke,
But World War One made me a ghost,
My sailors they sang songs
That kept me going all up and down the east coast
When the war was over and sailors disembarked
I could see the tears that their wives and
Families cried, and that moved me the most
And I brought them home, I brought them home
I am a mother, with my sons, I kept the peace.
We danced our way around world in the 20's and the 30's
I brought them back each time,
Their wives and children cheered for me,
'Cause I brought them home, I always brought them home
They scrubbed my decks & dressed me in
Red white and blue for Presidents,
And the whole ship would play "Hail to the Chief"
When he would come on board
From Istanbul and the British Isles,
California and Asia Minor
And back again to the Statue of Liberty in ol' New York
I brought them home, I always brought them home
All was quiet, December 7th,
1941 and death came for me
The smoke and guns blacked out the sun,
On a day that lives in infamy
I tried my best to hold my head up high,
But they cut me so deep, the world felt cold,
I was going home
My whole life they sang me songs,
Counted on me to bring them home
One last time, but boys, now this last song's on me,
We're going home, I'll take you home
I am a graveyard, your sons are safe here with me
I will stand watch over this harbor, for all eternity
Until the last one comes home,
My broken body softly weeps
I'll bring you home, I'll be your home
Rest in your home, you are home