John Henry

John Henry was a little baby

Sitting on his papa's knee

And he picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel

Cried, "A hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord"

"Hammer's gonna be the death of me"

Cried, "Hammer's gonna be the death of me"

"Hammer's gonna be the death of me"

Now the captain he said to John Henry

"I'm gonna bring that steam drill around"

"I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on the job"

"I'm gonna whop that steel on down, down, down"

"Whop that steel on down"

"I'm gonna whop that steel on"

"I'm gonna whop that steel on"

John Henry told his captain

"Lord, a man ain't nothin' but a man

But before I'd let your steam drill beat me down

I would die with a hammer in my hand"

"I would die with a hammer in my hand"

"I would die with a hammer in my"

"I would die with a hammer in my hand"

John Henry said to his shaker

"Shaker, why don't you sing?

'Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my hips on down

Just listen to that cold steel ring"

"Just listen to that cold steel"

"Just listen to that cold steel"

"Just listen to that cold steel ring"

Now the captain he said to John Henry

"I believe that mountain's cavin' in"

John Henry said right back to the captain

"Ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"

"Ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"

"Ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"

"Ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"

Now the man that invented the stream drill

He thought he was mighty fine

But John Henry rode fifteen feet and

The steam drill only made nine, Lord, Lord

The steam drill only made nine

I said the steam drill only made

Said the steam drill only made

John Henry hammered in the mountains

His hammer was striking fire

But he worked so hard, he broke his poor heart

And he lay down his hammer and he died

He lay down his hammer and he died

He lay down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord

He lay down his hammer and he died

Now John Henry had a little woman

Her name was Polly Ann

John Henry took sick and had to go to bed

And Polly Ann drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord

Polly Ann drove steel like a man

I said Polly Ann drove steel like a

Polly Ann drove steel like a man

So every Monday morning

When the bluebird began to sing

You can hear John Henry a mile or more

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring

You can hear John Henry's hammer

You can hear John Henry's hammer

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring

You can hear John Henry's hammer

You can hear John Henry's hammer

You can hear John Henry's hammer

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring