I stepped ashore in Tokyo
feelin' kinda blue
For I was tryin' to forget
a love that was untrue
When by my side I found the lad,
his dark eyes all aglow
He looked at me so hopefully
and said, is your name Joe?
For Joe's my daddy's name
and he will soon come sail
ing across the sea
He said he'd come back by and by,
and Joe would never lie
The warship took my dad away,
and mommy needs him so
And every night I hear her pray,
dear God,
where is my Joe?
Somewhere back home,
a guy named Joe
is probably sippin' beer
Does he know how import ant
he could be if he was here?
Has he forgot this little lad
who needs his daddy so?
A promise made, a debt unpaid,
they're waiting for you, Joe
Yes, Joe's his daddy's name,
and he will never sail across that sea
A stranger in a foreign land,
he let his heart get out of hand
The warship took his dad away,
and he's too young to know
That off across the ocean,
there's a million guys named Joe