Sloop John B

"Sloop John B" is the seventh track on The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds album and was also a single which was released in 1966 on Capitol Records. It was originally a traditional West Indies folk song, possibly recorded earliest by The Weavers under the title "Wreck of the John B", the song taken from a collection by Carl Sandburg (1927). Alan Lomax made a field recording of the song in Nassau, 1935, under the title "Histe Up the John B. Sail". This recording appears on the album Bahamas 1935: Chanteys And Anthems From Andros And Cat Island. The song was adapted by Weavers member Lee Hays. The recording of the song which directly influenced The Beach Boys was by The Kingston Trio, who used the title "The Wreck Of The John B". This version was ranked #271 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

[Verse 1: Brian Wilson] We come on the sloop John B My grandfather and me Around Nassau town we did roam Drinking all night Got into a fight Well, I feel so broke up I wanna go home [Chorus: Brian Wilson, Mike Love] So hoist up the John B's sail See how the mainsail sets Call for the Captain ashore, let me go home Let me go home I wanna go home, yeah, yeah Well, I feel so broke up I wanna go home [Verse 2: Mike Love] The first mate he got drunk And broke in the Captain's trunk The constable had to come and take him away Sheriff John Stone Why don't you leave me alone? Yeah, yeah Well, I feel so broke up I wanna go home [Chorus: Whole Group] So hoist up the John B's sail See how the mainsail sets Call for the Captain ashore, let me go home Let me go home, I wanna go home Let me go home (Hoist up the John B's sail) Hoist up the John B I feel so broke up I wanna go home Let me go home [Verse 3: Brian Wilson, Mike Love] The poor cook he caught the fits And threw away all my grits And then he took and he ate up all of my corn Let me go home Why don't they let me go home This is the worst trip I've ever been on [Chorus: Whole Group] So hoist up the John B's sail See how the mainsail sets Call for the Captain ashore, let me go home Let me go home I wanna go home Let me go home