John Henry

John Henry 2: 34 Trk 2 (Trad.) Buster Brown (Wayman Glasco) Buster Brown - harmonica & vocal (Background male vocalist unk) Fire Records 1960 Album: Buster Brown New King of Blues Transcriber: Awcantor@aol.com Yeah! Johnny told his old Captain 'Man, a-when you go downtown Bring me back the nine pounds hammer' I got to drive this steel on down I got to drive this steel on down You see, Johnny's hammer Hit the mighty boiler The hammer caught on fire Now, the last word I heard The poor boy say 'I want a cool drink a-water 'fore I die' 'Yeah, a cool drink a-water 'fore I die' Yeah, Johnny's wife She heard that Johnny was dead And she couldn't have stayed in bed Oh, now Monday mornin' Caught the eastbound train She said, I'm g'wine where my man fell dead 'Yeah! I'm goin' where my man fell dead' ('Look out!') (Harmonica & instrumental) Woo-ha! Woo-ha! Woo! Woo! Woo! (Woo! Lord, have mercy, too) (Ease your mind) (Yeah!) Johnny's wife, she wore A brand new dress (say) And it was trimmed in blue (Pretty thing) Yeah, the last were the words Said to him, oh Lord, now 'Honey, I been good to you' 'Yeah, honey I been good to you' Well, they carried Little John To the graveyard (boys, listen) They looked at him good and long Now, the last were the words If you hear me, oh Lord 'Oh my husband, he is dead and gone' That's what she said She said, 'My husband, he is dead and gone' 'Yeah, my husband he is dead and gone' Yeah, when John Henry was a baby You could hold him in the paddles of your hand When everytime they'd rock him, cried (They say 'He sho' gonna be a little man') ('Yeah, he sho' gon' be a little man') Yeah, who gonna buy yo' pretty shoes then? And who gonna roll yo' cheek? FADES- She said, 'My daddy gonna buy my pretty lil' And John Henry gonna roll my cheek And John Henry gonna roll my cheek (That what it said) A-John Henry gonna roll my cheek. ~