From this day on I own my father's gun
We dug his shallow grave beneath the sun
I laid his broken body down below the southern land
It wouldn't do to bury him where any Yankee stands
I'll take my horse and I'll ride the Northern plain
To wear the colour of the greys and join the fight again
And I'll rest until I know the cause is fought and won
From this day on until I die I'll wear my father's gun
I'd like to know where the riverboat sails tonight
To New Orleans well that's just fine alright
'Cause there's fightin' there and the company needs men
(Aaa aaa aaa)
So slip us a rope and sail on round the bend
As soon as this is over we'll go home
To plant the seeds of justice in our bones
To watch the children growin' and see the women sewin'
There'll be laughter when the bells of freedom ring
I'd like to know where the riverboat sails tonight
To New Orleans well that's just fine alright
'Cause there's fightin' there and the company needs men
(Aaa aaa aaa)
All are there, all are there
(Aaa aaa aaa)
Slip us a rope and sail on round the bend
I'd like to know where the riverboat sails tonight
To New Orleans well that's just fine alright
'Cause there's fightin' there and the company needs men
(Aaa aaa aaa)
All are there, all I said
(Aaa aaa aaa)
Slip us a rope and sail on round the bend
Oh ho, I'd like to know where the riverboat, riverboat sails tonight
To New Orleans well that's just fine alright
'Cause there's fightin' there and the company needs men
(Aaa aaa aaa)
All are there, all I said
(Aaa aaa aaa)
Slip us a rope and sail on round the bend
I'd like to know where the riverboat, riverboat, riverboat sails tonight
(Sails tonight)
To New Orleans well that's just fine, that's just fine alright
'Cause there's fightin' there and the company needs men
(Aaa aaa aaa)
All are there
(Aaa aaa aaa)
So slip us a rope and sail on round the bend
I'd like to know where the riverboat sails tonight
To New Orleans well that's just fine, that's just fine alright
'Cause there's fightin' there and the company needs men
(Aaa aaa aaa)
All are there, all I said
(Aaa aaa aaa)
Slip us a rope and sail on round the bend
The riverboat sails tonight
That's just fine alright
(Aaa aaa aaa)
Ohh, slip us a rope
Sail on round, sail on round, sail on round, sail on round
(Sail)
Sail on round the bend
The riverboat sails tonight
All are there
That's just fine alright
I feel the verses to this song are the best - lyrically, vocally and musically - of any of Elton John's songs.