Big John Brown was buried by the beach
his bones were washed by the waves
and each night a breeze comes a-whistlin' through the trees
and shakes them shells on his grave

Big John Brown had silver in his teeth
but he came up north for the gold
he'd dig and search, but he always went to church
knew that money couldn't save his soul

On John Brown's Beach you gotta practice what you preach
before you swim you better pray
'cause it's the secret we keep, the dead don't stay asleep
oh your maker's gonna come someday

John Brown's dog was foaming at the mouth
had a belly full of clay
he heard a whistling sound come from deep underground
he knew his master had gone astray

John Brown's wife was dreaming of the south
every morning she would cry
she had mountains to climb, but she hadn't the time
to hang her laundry to dry

On John Brown's Beach you gotta practice what you preach
before you swim you better pray
'cause it's the secret we keep, the dead don't stay asleep
oh your maker's gonna come someday, day, day
your maker's gonna come someday

John Brown's son was headed to the war
learned to fire, but not to burn
he wasn't driven by hate, he just didn't wanna wait
for his daddy to return

If John Brown was standing on the shore
would your hair stand right on end
would you sound the alarm before coming to harm
or would you greet the ghost as a friend?
Oh would you greet the ghost as a friend

Well Big John Brown was buried by the beach
his bones were washed by the waves
and each night a breeze comes a-whistlin' through the trees
and shakes them shells on his grave, grave, grave
Shakes them shells on his grave