Credits
Lyrics
When John Henry was a little baby, just sittin’ on his papa’s knee
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel and cried “this hammer’s gonna be the death of me”
John Henry hammered in the mountain, he’d give a grunt and give a groan with every swing
Women folks for miles around heard him and come down to watch him make that cold steel ring
Somebody said to John Henry, “Is that a storm that I hear?”
John Henry told the Captain, “Tell the kind folks not to worry, it ain’t nothin’ but my hammer in the air”
The Captain said to John Henry, “I’m gonna bring that steam drill around,
Bring that steam drill out on this job and I’m gon’ knock that steel on down”
John Henry said to the Captain, “A man ain’t nothin’ but a man,
But if you bring that drill around I’ll beat it fair and honest; I’ll die with my hammer in my hand”
John Henry hammered in the mountain until the head of his hammer caught fire
He worked so hard that he broke his poor heart, then he laid down his hammer and he died
Now the Captain, standing on the steam drill, thought that he was might fine
But John Henry drove all of fifteen feet and the steam drill only made nine
Now every Monday morning, when that bluebird begin’ to sing
You can hear John Henry for a half a mile, you can hear John Henry’s hammer ring
Written by: Traditional
