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Sending The Old Man Home Lyrics
They're sending the old man home
Back where the buffalo roam
Out in Pacific they say he was the best
Now he's in his "civies" headin' home like all the rest
He'll never forget Rosa Lee
Or sleepless nights he fought upon the sea
He'll only have the memories
Or great books by James Jones
`Cause they're sending the old man home
Far away
Far away
Another life so very far away
They'll tear down the officers clubs
And write off the overdue subs
So let's drink to their memories
Our heros and our pals
To those crazy navy flyers
To those swell Hawaiian gals
The sailors will dance in the street
Then they'll mothball the whole damn fleet
We'll only have the picture books
Of land and sea and foam
`Cause they're sending the old man home
He'll only have his memories
Or great books by James Jones
`Cause they're sending the old man home
Back where the buffalo roam
Out in Pacific they say he was the best
Now he's in his "civies" headin' home like all the rest
Or sleepless nights he fought upon the sea
He'll only have the memories
Or great books by James Jones
`Cause they're sending the old man home
Far away
Another life so very far away
And write off the overdue subs
So let's drink to their memories
Our heros and our pals
To those crazy navy flyers
To those swell Hawaiian gals
Then they'll mothball the whole damn fleet
We'll only have the picture books
Of land and sea and foam
Or great books by James Jones
`Cause they're sending the old man home
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This song is pretty straightforward. It is about the nostalgia and bittersweet happiness of an admiral retiring after World War II. In the liner notes to the Bars/Beaches/Boats/Ballads Box set, Buffett said that the ideas to this song came to him while laid up with his third broken leg, watching (in a painkiller haze) the movie The Gallant Hours with James Cagney as Admiral "Bull" Halsey. He kept flashing between the movie and memories of his grandfather and the Officers Club at Pearl Harbor.
I would love to know exactly who Rosa Lee is suppposed to be, though. Somebody from the movie maybe?
@rpresser Rosa Lee possibly the nickname he had for the ship he was on.
@rpresser Rosa Lee possibly the nickname he had for the ship he was on.
@rpresser Also thanks for some of the background info for this song. Reminds me of my grandfather who was a gunners mate in the US Navy. I love a song that tells a story.
@rpresser Also thanks for some of the background info for this song. Reminds me of my grandfather who was a gunners mate in the US Navy. I love a song that tells a story.
@rpresser My grandfather was a gunnersmate in Ww2 and my father was a gunnersmate in the Vietnam era though the war ended before he had to go over there he was training for it. He said they had him on a pt boat blowing up drums on Lake michigan. And his number was coming up, but then the war ended.
@rpresser My grandfather was a gunnersmate in Ww2 and my father was a gunnersmate in the Vietnam era though the war ended before he had to go over there he was training for it. He said they had him on a pt boat blowing up drums on Lake michigan. And his number was coming up, but then the war ended.
@rpresser Rosa Lee was likely the name he gave to his aircraft, or his rifle. It was very common for young pilots to stencil the name of their wives, girlfriends or even just a fictional crush on the nose of their planes for good luck, just as sailors do their boats. Being Buffett is both sailor and pilot, I can see this being a strong possiblility.
@rpresser Rosa Lee was likely the name he gave to his aircraft, or his rifle. It was very common for young pilots to stencil the name of their wives, girlfriends or even just a fictional crush on the nose of their planes for good luck, just as sailors do their boats. Being Buffett is both sailor and pilot, I can see this being a strong possiblility.
It could be in reference to Gypsy Rose Lee the Burlesque dancer of the era