(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 talk 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 can't 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