Lyrics
When John Henry was about three days old
A-sittin' on his pappy's knee
He gave a one long, loud, and a lonesome cry
Said, "That hammer'll be the death of me
Lord, Lord, that hammer'll be the death of me"
John Henry had a little woman
And her name was Polly Ann
When John Henry took sick and couldn't work one day
Polly Ann drove steel like a man
Polly Ann drove steel like a man
John Henry told his captain
"Well, a man ain't nothin' but a man
And before I let that steam drill beat me down
I'll die with a hammer in my hand
Lord, Lord, die with a hammer in my hand"
Well, the captain says to John Henry
"Gonna bring that steam drill around
Gonna take that steam drill out on the job
Gonna whup that steel on down
Gonna whup that steel on down"
Now, John Henry swung his hammer 'round of his head
And brought his hammer right down on the ground
A man in Chattanooga, two hundred miles away
Heard an awful rumblin' sound
Heard an awful rumblin' sound
John Henry said to his shaker
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
I'm throwin' twelve pounds from my hips on down
Just listen to that cold steel ring
Just listen to that cold steel ring"
Well, the captain says to John Henry
"I believe this mountain's cavin' in"
John Henry said to the captain
"'Tain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind
'Tain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"
That man that invented the steam drill
Thought that he was mighty fine
John Henry made his fourteen feet
While the steam drill, it made only nine
While the steam drill, it made only nine
John Henry, oh, John Henry
Blood am runnin' red
Falls right down with his hammer to the ground
Says, "I beat 'em to the bottom, but I'm dead
Lord, Lord, I beat 'em to the bottom, but I'm dead"
John Henry had a little woman
And the dress she wore was red
She said, "I'm goin' down to the railroad track
I'm goin' where John Henry fell dead
Lord, Lord, I'm goin' where John Henry fell dead"
John Henry had a little woman
Now, she always dresses in black
She went down the track, never lookin' back
Says, "John Henry, I'll be true 'til I die
Lord, Lord, John Henry, I'll be true 'til I die"
They took John Henry to the buryin' ground
And they buried him in the sand
And every locomotive come roarin' round
Says, "There lies a steel-drivin' man
Lord, Lord, there lies a steel-drivin' man"
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man
A-sittin' on his pappy's knee
He gave a one long, loud, and a lonesome cry
Said, "That hammer'll be the death of me
Lord, Lord, that hammer'll be the death of me"
John Henry had a little woman
And her name was Polly Ann
When John Henry took sick and couldn't work one day
Polly Ann drove steel like a man
Polly Ann drove steel like a man
John Henry told his captain
"Well, a man ain't nothin' but a man
And before I let that steam drill beat me down
I'll die with a hammer in my hand
Lord, Lord, die with a hammer in my hand"
Well, the captain says to John Henry
"Gonna bring that steam drill around
Gonna take that steam drill out on the job
Gonna whup that steel on down
Gonna whup that steel on down"
Now, John Henry swung his hammer 'round of his head
And brought his hammer right down on the ground
A man in Chattanooga, two hundred miles away
Heard an awful rumblin' sound
Heard an awful rumblin' sound
John Henry said to his shaker
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
I'm throwin' twelve pounds from my hips on down
Just listen to that cold steel ring
Just listen to that cold steel ring"
Well, the captain says to John Henry
"I believe this mountain's cavin' in"
John Henry said to the captain
"'Tain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind
'Tain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind"
That man that invented the steam drill
Thought that he was mighty fine
John Henry made his fourteen feet
While the steam drill, it made only nine
While the steam drill, it made only nine
John Henry, oh, John Henry
Blood am runnin' red
Falls right down with his hammer to the ground
Says, "I beat 'em to the bottom, but I'm dead
Lord, Lord, I beat 'em to the bottom, but I'm dead"
John Henry had a little woman
And the dress she wore was red
She said, "I'm goin' down to the railroad track
I'm goin' where John Henry fell dead
Lord, Lord, I'm goin' where John Henry fell dead"
John Henry had a little woman
Now, she always dresses in black
She went down the track, never lookin' back
Says, "John Henry, I'll be true 'til I die
Lord, Lord, John Henry, I'll be true 'til I die"
They took John Henry to the buryin' ground
And they buried him in the sand
And every locomotive come roarin' round
Says, "There lies a steel-drivin' man
Lord, Lord, there lies a steel-drivin' man"
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man