album cover
artist
Driftwood Soldier
John Henry
162
Folk
John Henry was released on August 27, 2019 by Trash Cat Records as a part of the album John Henry - Single
album cover
AlbumJohn Henry - Single
Release DateAugust 27, 2019
LabelTrash Cat Records
LanguageEnglish
Melodicness
Acousticness
Valence
Danceability
Energy
BPM144

OVERVIEW

LYRICS

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Driftwood Soldier
Driftwood Soldier
Performer
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Owen Lyman-Schmidt
Owen Lyman-Schmidt
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Driftwood Soldier
Driftwood Soldier
Producer
Erin McKeown
Erin McKeown
Producer

Lyrics

John Henry was a little child of four sitting on his loving daddy’s knee
He picked up a hammer and he tossed it to the floor saying
“This here hammer should have set me free Lord
Lord but them business men gonna be the death of me”
“John” said the Captain, “you’re a wonder to behold
You’re fast and fit and stronger than a bull
I give you ten cents more, ‘cause you do the work of four
It’s boys like you that keep my pockets full Lord
Lord and my pockets are overflowing they’re so full”
“But John there’s a man with a steam drill in town
And it doesn’t need to eat or drink or rest
Before they go and invest in it
The company wants me testing it by racing it against my very best
Lord, Lord, John I do believe you are my very best”
“Well Captain,” said John, “I got a wife and a child
And I surely can’t afford to be replaced
I ain’t flattered or amused at the way I’m being used
But I’ll lose my job if I don’t win this race
Lord, Lord life is hard for a poor man of my race”
“So go get me my oak-handled twelve pound sledge
And a shaker who knows how to sing
Go get my two quart canteen and your God-damned machine
And I’ll show you how a desperate man swings Lord, Lord
This whole world’s gonna hear my cold steel ring”
There was fire on the mountain
There was thunder in the sky
The earth shook and a crowd began to form
The wind bent the trees, brought the people to their knees
There’s a man at the center of that storm
Lord, Lord, there’s a man at the center of that storm
His canteen was empty
That oak handle’d split
His shaker was gasping for air
But when the smoke and dust all cleared, the crowd began to cheer
John Henry beat that steam drill and fair
Lord, Lord John Henry beat that steam drill and fair
The Captain said, “I confess I’m impressed, but then I did say you was the best
It’s too bad these other drivers ain’t half as strong
None of them have got the skills to join my brand new crew of drills
They’re gonna have to pack their bags and move along Lord, Lord
It’ll just be John and them drills from now on”
Well his back was wide as a railroad track, each arm was like a cross cut tie
But his heart was a heart just like any man’s heart
You break a man’s heart and he dies
Lord, Lord, you break any man’s heart and he dies
They buried John Henry not four feet from where he fell
They laid his hammer down at his side
“Wasn’t that steam drill killed my man, “ said his good woman Polly Ann
“It’s them greedy sons of bitches took my husband from my side
Their greed’s the only reason that he died”
I ain’t as strong as John Henry was and the truth is ain’t never gonna be
But long as they keep on building tracks on the backs of the poor
Black sons and daughters...
Muddy Water’s said it, Huddie Ledbetter said it, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde
Angela Davis, Mavis Staples said it, I sure won’t forget it
I sure won’t forget it
I’m gonna swing this hammer, gonna swing this little mando-hammer
I’m gonna swing this hammer, swing this mando-hammer
Swing this hardwood, steel string, baby sledgehammer
‘Til those people killed John Henry come for me Lord
Lord I said those people killed John Henry gonna have to come kill me
‘Til those people killed John Henry come for me
Written by: Owen Lyman-Schmidt

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