John Henry

John Henry, he could hammer He could whistle, he could sing Went to the mountain early in the mornin' Just to hear his hammer ring, Lord, Lord Just to hear his hammer ring Just to hear his hammer ring, Lord, Lord Just to hear his hammer ring When John Henry was a little baby Sittin' on his daddy's knee Picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel Said, "Hammer be the death of me, Lord, God Yes, hammer be the death of me Yes, hammer be the death of me, Lord, Lord Yes, hammer be the death of me" When John Henry's family needed money Said, "He didn't have but a dime If you wait 'til the red sun goes down I'll get it from the man in the mine, Lord, Lord I'll get it from the man in the mine I'll get it from the man in the mine, Lord, Lord I'll get it from the man in the mine" Well, the captain said to John Henry John Henry, "What can you do?" I can hoist a jack, I can lay a track I can pick and shovel too, Lord, Lord I can pick and shovel too I can pick and shovel too, Lord, Lord I can pick and shovel too Well, John Henry said to the captain Oh, a man ain't nothin' but a man 'Fore I'd let your steam drill beat me down Well, I'd die with the my hammer in my hand, Lord, God I'll die with my hammer in my hand Yes, I'll die with the my hammer in my hand Lord, Lord I'll die with my hammer in my hand Well, the captain said to John Henry I'm gonna bring me a steam drill 'round Gon' bring me a steam drill out on the job Gon' whup that steel on down, Lord, Lord Gon' whup that steel on down I gon' whoop that steel on down, Lord, Lord I gon' whoop that steel on down Well, John Henry said to his shaker "Shaker, why don't you sing?" Throwin' 15 pounds from my hips on down Listen to the cold steel ring, Lord, Lord, yes Listen to the cold steel ring Oh, listen to the cold steel ring, Lord, Lord Won't you listen to the cold steel ring Well, the man who invented the steamdrill Thought he was mighty fine John Henry made his 15 feet And the steamdriller only made 9, Lord, Lord Steamdriller only made 9 Yes, the steamdriller only made 9, Lord, Lord The steamdriller only made 9 Well, the captain said to John Henry "How your mountain sinking in?" And John Henry said to the captain "Oh, mine, nothing but my hammer suckin' wind, Lord, Lord Nothing but my hammer suckin' wind Ain't nothing but my hammer suckin' wind, Lord, Lord Ain't nothing but my hammer suckin' wind" Well, John Henry said to the captain "Looka yonder what I see Hole done choke, you're drill done broke And you can't drive steel like me, Lord, Lord Can't drive steel like me Oh no, you can't drive steel like me, no no You can't drive steel like me" Well, John Henry drove into the mountain Yes, his hammer was strikin' fire He drove so hard he broke his poor heart When he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord Laid down his hammer and he died Yes, he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord He laid down his hammer and he died Well, John Henry had a little woman And the name was Polly Ann She walked down the track, never looked back Polly Ann drove still like a man, Lord, Lord Polly Ann drove still like a man Polly Ann drove still like a man, Lord, Lord Polly Ann drove still like a man Oh, the people took John Henry to the White House And they buried him in the sand Every locomotive come roarin' by Says there lies a steel drivin' man, Lord, God Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man, hoo-hee There lies a steel drivin' man Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man, Lord, Lord Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man