Oh, can you hear the horn is blowing?The steamboat's coming home againOh, can you hear the engines turning, turning round?Never growing tired since who knows whenThe river people start their wavingThe steamboat's slowing down to landIt's been so long they've seen their fathers and their sonsBut now the journey's coming to an endSo many ships were destroyed in battlesSo many boats never found their waySo many sailors would never see the dawn againSo many graves are so many miles away from where they ought to beSo many children, so many mothers have hoped in vainOh, can you hear the bell is ringing?The captain calls all hands on deckAnd for a single night the crew is free to leaveTomorrow morning they'll be coming backThe river people will be wavingThe steamboat rolling on againAnd you will hear the engines turning, turning roundNever growing tired since who knows whenSo many ships were destroyed in battlesSo many boats never found their waySo many sailors would never see the dawn againSo many graves are so many miles away from where they ought to beSo many children, so many mothers have hoped in vainSo many graves are so many miles away from where they ought to beSo many children, so many mothers have hoped in vainSo many graves are so many miles away from where they ought to be*