John Henry

When John Henry was a little bitty boy

Sittin' on his mommy's knee

He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel

Said, "This hammer gonna be the death of me"

"This hammer gonna be the death of me"

When John Henry was a little baby

No bigger than the palm of your hand

His mommy looked down at little Johnny and said

"My Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man" yes he is

"My Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man"

John Henry was a steel drivin' man

Drove steel all over the land

'Fore I let the steam hammer get me down

I'll die with my hammer in my hand

Die with my hammer in my hand

John Henry went to the tunnel to drive

Steam hammer by his side

He beat the steam hammer to the top of the hill

And he laid down his hammer and he cried, oh Lord

Laid down his hammer and he cried

The captain said to John Henry

"I believe that mountain's cavin' in"

John Henry just laughed at the captain and said

"That ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"

"That ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"

John Henry had a lovin' little wife

Her name was Polly Anne

Johnny got sick and he had to go to bed

Polly drove steel like a man, yes

Polly drove steel like a man

They buried John Henry in the graveyard

They layed him down in the sand

Every time a freight train comes puffin' by, they'd say

"Yonder lies a steel drivin' man"

"Yonder lies a steel drivin' man"