This version was ranked #271 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
Sloop John B
Beach Boys Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My grandfather and me
Around Nassau town we did roam
Drinking all night
Got into a fight
Well I feel so broke up
I want to go home
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I want to go home, yeah yeah
Well I feel so broke up
I want to go home
The first mate he got drunk
And broke in the cap'n'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 want to go home
So hoist up the john be 's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I want to go home, let me go home
Why don't you let me go home
(hoist up the john be 's sail)
Hoist up the john be
I feel so broke up I want to go home
Let me go home
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
So hoist up the john be 's sail
See how the mainsail sets
Call for the captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I want to go home, let me go home
Why don't you let me go home
The lyrics to Beach Boys' song "Sloop John B" tell the story of a failed trip taken by the singer and his grandfather. They come aboard the Sloop John B and roam around Nassau town while drinking all night, but later on getting into a fight. The singer feels so broken up and only wants to go home. The song includes a chorus that repeats the plea to let them go home. The first mate gets drunk and in the process breaks into the cap'n's trunk. The constable has to come and take him away while the sheriff, John Stone, gets in the way. The cook catches the fits and spills all the grits and eats up all the corn. The singer again pleads to be allowed to go home.
The lyrics' melancholic tune and story have a deep meaning that has led to many interpretations over the years. It could be a metaphor for feeling homesick and wanting to escape from a bad scenario, or it could be dealing with the challenges of starting over, and where you belong. The song's tragic story captures different emotions such as regret, sadness, and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
We come on the sloop john be
We arrived on the sailing ship called the sloop john be
My grandfather and me
My grandfather and I traveled together
Around Nassau town we did roam
We wandered around the town of Nassau
Drinking all night
We were drinking alcohol throughout the night
Got into a fight
We ended up in a physical altercation
Well I feel so broke up
I am so upset
I want to go home
I want to return to my residence
So hoist up the john be's sail
Raise the sail on the sloop john be
See how the mainsail sets
Observe how the largest sail on the ship is arranged
Call for the captain ashore
Request for the captain to come ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
Please allow me to leave and return home
I want to go home, yeah yeah
I really desire to return to my residence
The first mate he got drunk
The assistant to the captain became intoxicated
And broke in the cap'n's trunk
And forcibly entered the captain's storage compartment
The constable had to come and take him away
The police officer had to remove him from the situation
Sheriff john stone
The local law enforcement officer named John Stone
Why don't you leave me alone, yeah yeah
Please stop bothering me and allow me to leave
So hoist up the john be's sail
Raise the sail on the sloop john be
Let me go home, let me go home
Please allow me to leave and return home
I want to go home, let me go home
I really desire to return to my residence
Why don't you let me go home
Why are you preventing me from going back home?
(hoist up the john be's sail)
(raise the sail on the sloop john be)
Hoist up the john be
Pick up the sloop john be
I feel so broke up I want to go home
I am very disturbed and upset, and I want to return to my residence
The poor cook he caught the fits
The unfortunate cook suffered from an illness
And threw away all my grits
And disposed of all of my porridge
And then he took and he ate up all of my corn
And then he took and consumed all of my grains
Let me go home
Please allow me to leave and return home
Why don't they let me go home
Why are they preventing me from returning to my residence?
This is the worst trip I've ever been on
This is the most terrible voyage I've ever experienced
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Tarantulisimo
Brian Wilson – lead and backing vocals
Mike Love – lead and backing vocals
Dennis Wilson – backing vocals
Al Jardine – backing vocals
Carl Wilson – backing vocals
Bruce Johnston — backing vocals
Hal Blaine – drums
Frank Capp – glockenspiel
Al Casey – acoustic rhythm guitar
Jerry Cole – 12-string lead guitar
Steve Douglas – temple blocks
Carol Kaye – electric bass
Al De Lory – tack piano
Jay Migliori – flute
Jim Horn – flute
Jack Nimitz – bass saxophone
Lyle Ritz – string bass
Billy Strange – 12-string lead guitar, overdubbed 12-string lead guitars
Tony (surname unknown) – tambourine
Chuck Britz – engineer
Brian Wilson -- arrangement of traditional "The John B. Sails"
Brian Wilson -- producer
The Kingston Trio -- musical inspiration
@bobbybob2573
The Beach Boys
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 want to go home
So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the main sail sets
Call for the Captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I want to go home, yeah yeah
Well I feel so broke up
I want to go home
The first mate he got drunk
And broke in the Cap'n'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 want to go home
So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the main sail sets
Call for the Captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I want to go home, let me go home
Why don't you let me go home
(Hoist up the John B's sail)
Hoist up the John B
I feel so broke up I want to go home
Let me go home
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
So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the main sail sets
Call for the Captain ashore
Let me go home, let me go home
I want to go home, let me go home
Why don't you let me go home
Songwriters: Brian Wilson
Sloop John B lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
@mvader7188
I always thought the men who went to Vietnam probably heard this song and thought "yeah I wanna go home.." and "this is definitely the worst trip I ever been on.."
@Triumph2024.
good empathetic imagination; you're prolly right.
@glenmcgregor3366
Arrived in country Dec. 67. Finally got on the bird June 70. This song played in my head every minute.
@roisindubh02
@Glen McGregor " Thank you for your service, and your sacrifices.
@UglyApprentice
Glen McGregor we’re you drafted or volunteered?
@ronbow1947
Absolutely
@superpuggus8594
Without Pet Sounds, then no Sgt Pepper. And without Rubber Soul, no Pet Sounds. I love both the Beatles and the Beach Boys, and love how both created great music
@flemingcourt
Art is derivative.
@dogshitonastick4008
You know your sheet brother 👍🏻
@thewal1ofsleep
Even though recording began before Sgt Pepper came out, I still wonder if Days of Future Passed would have been the same album without Sgt Pepper and Pet Sounds.