album cover
John Henry
9
Folk
John Henry was released on January 1, 1968 by Folk-Legacy Records as a part of the album The Cheese Stands Alone
album cover
Release DateJanuary 1, 1968
LabelFolk-Legacy Records
LanguageEnglish
Melodicness
Acousticness
Valence
Danceability
Energy
BPM

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
Michael Cooney
Michael Cooney
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

Lyrics

When John Henry was a little baby, sittin' on his mama's knee
Said the big, bent tunnel on that C&O road
"Mama's gonna be the death of me
Mama's gonna be the death of me"
Well, the captain said to John Henry
"Go on and bring me a steam drill down
Go on and bring me a steam drill out on the job
Drive that steel on down
Drive that steel on down"
John Henry says to his captain
"A man ain't nothin' but a man
Before I let your steam drill beat me down
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand"
John Henry hammered on the mountain
'Til his hammer was strikin' fire
Last words I heard that poor man say
"Gimme a cool drink of water 'fore I die
Gimme a cool drink of water 'fore I die"
John Henry hammered on the mountain
But the mountain it was so high
Yes, the mountain so tall, John Henry so small
Lord, he laid down his hammer and he died
Lord, he laid down his hammer and he died
They carried John Henry to the graveyard
They buried him in the sand
Every steam locomotive comes a-roarin' by
Says, "Yonder lies a steel-drivin' man
Yonder lies a steel-drivin' man
Oh, yonder lies a steel-drivin'..."
Now, every Monday morning
When the bluebirds begin to sing
You can hear John Henry a mile or more
Hear his hammer ring
Hear his hammer ring
Oh, listen to that cold steel
Written by: Bob Gibson, Etta Baker, J Baird, Pd Traditional, Robert L. Camp
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