In '43 they put to sea thirteen men and Kennedy
Aboard the PT 109 to fight the brazen enemy
And off the isle of Olasana in the straight beyond Naru
A Jap destroyer in the night cut the 109 in two

Smoke and fire upon the sea everywhere they looked was the enemy
The heathen gods of old Japan yeah they thought had the best of a mighty good man

And on the coast of Kolombangara looking through this telescope
Australian Evans saw the battle for the crew had little hope
Two were dead and some were wounded all were clinging to the bow
Fightin' fire and flightin' water trying to save themselves somehow
Smoke and fire upon the sea...

McMahon the Irishman was burned so badly he couldn't swim
Leave me here go on he said cause if you don't we'll all be dead
The PT skipper couldn't leave him a man to die alone at sea
And with a strap between his teeth he towed the Irishman through the sea
Smoke and fire upon the sea...
[ flute ]
He led his men through waters dark rocky reefs and hungry sharks
He braved the enemy's bayonets a thirty eight hung round his neck
Four more days and four more nights a rescue boat pulled into sight
The PT 109 was gone but Kennedy and his crew lived on
Now who could guess who could possibly know that same man named Kennedy
Would be the leader of the nation be the one to take command
The PT 109 was gone but Kennedy lived to fight again
Smoke and fire upon the sea everywhere they looked was the enemy
But JFK and his crew lived on
Which proves it's hard to get the best of a man named John
(Big John Big John Big John Big John Big John Big John)