Cervera and His Flying Squadron
Words by R.K. Beecham
Music by H.H. Johnson
Published 1898

Great Cervera sailed over the ocean,
with his fierce flying squadron of Spain,
And conceived then the wise, war-like notion,
Of dodging in out of the rain,
For he quailed at the power of Sampson,
With his crew of America's Sons,
And was fearful the deck which he tramped on,
would be swept by a storm from their guns.

[chorus]
Then hurrah for the heroe Don Pascal,
Who so boldly dashed over the main,
Then, to dodge the old "Schley Yankee rascal"
Ran his squadron in out of the rain

So away to Santiago de Cuba,
Colors flying all gladsome and gay,
He was greeted with horn and with tuba,
When his squadron sailed into the bay,
But old Schley was on guard the next minute,
And the harbor closed up like a clam
And ev'ry last ship and Don in it,
Was bottled for bold "Uncle Sam"

[chorus]
Now hurrah for our Sampson and Hobson,
And hurrah for the watchful old Schley,
And hurrah again for the harbor
Where they bottled the green Spanish fly

Then with Shafter's brave boys at his throttle,
In the midst of the battle's uproar,
Great Cervera sailed out of the bottle,
But he sailed the wide ocean no more,
For this wise and invincible Spaniard,
With his fierce flying squadron of Spain,
Has at last reached the end of his lanyard,
And his ships are in out of the rain

[chorus]
Now three cheers all around for our "Heroes"
Who so bravely "Remember'd the Maine"
Who sank their great ships and then gathered
The poor Spaniards in out of the rain