John Henry

Lyrics

One, two Well, John Henry was a little baby Sitting on his daddy's knee He picked up a hammer and A little piece of steel And cried, "Hammer's going to Be death of me, Lord, Lord Hammer's going to be the death of me" Now, the captain, he Said to John Henry "I'm going to bring that Steam drill around I'm going to bring that Steam drill out on these tracks I'm going to knock that Steel on down, God, God I'm going to knock that Steel on down" John Henry told his captain "Lord, a man ain't nothing but a man But before I let that steam drill Beat me down I'm going to die with a hammer In my hand, Lord, Lord Die with a hammer in my hand" Ready, Sue! [Instrumental break] John Henry, driving On the right side That steam drill, driving On the left Says, "Before I let your Steam drill beat me down I'm going to hammer Myself to death, Lord, Lord I'll hammer my fool self to death" Well, captain said to John Henry "What is that storm I hear?" John Henry said, "That Ain't no storm, captain That's just my hammer In the air, Lord, Lord That's just my hammer in the air" John Henry said to his shaker "Shaker, why don't you sing? Because I'm swinging thirty pounds From my hips on down Yeah, listen to my cold steel Ring, Lord, Lord Listen to my cold steel ring" Come on here! [Instrumental break] I wanna hear that banjo now too! [Banjo solo] I want it now! John Henry, he hammered In the mountains His hammer was striking fire But he worked so hard It broke his heart John Henry laid his hammer And died, Lord, Lord John Henry laid down his hammer and died Well, now John Henry He had him a woman By the name of Polly Ann She walked out to those tracks Picked up John Henry's hammer Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord Polly drove that steel like a man Come on! Well, every, every Monday morning When a bluebird, he began to sing You could hear John Henry From a mile or more You could hear John Henry's hammer Ring, Lord, Lord You can hear John Henry's hammer ring Sing that one again! I say, you can hear John Henry's hammer Ring, Lord, Lord You can hear John Henry's hammer ring Come on! Whoa! Yeah!