John Henry

Lyrics

When Jonathan Henry He was a little biddy boy Yeah, just a-sittin' on his mammy's knee He said the big bend tunnel C&O Road It's gonna be the death of me Lord, Lord It's gonna be the death of me Oh yeah I'm gonna drive Yeah, John Henry had him a woman Her name was Mary Magdalene Now she went down where that poor boy would drive To hear his cold hammer ring Lord, Lord To hear John Henry's hammer ring To hear it ring Ring, ring Yeah, while I drive John Henry, he had another woman Hеr name was Sally Anne Johnny got drunk, had to go to bed Sally drovе the steel like a man Lord, Lord Sally drove the steel like a man Just like John Henry Almost, not quite, no, not hardly John Henry's family needed money Said they didn't have but a dime He said if he'll wait 'til the sun goes down "I'll get it from the man on the line Lord, Lord I'll get it from the man on the line Just so you know That's what I work Driving steel, oh yeah" John Henry, he drove on the mountain Steam drill on his side Well he drove about a mile-and-a-half Laid down the hammer and he cried Lord, Lord He laid down his hammer and he cried Oh yeah, he cried Oh yeah, he cried John Henry cried! Oh yeah, he cried! Yeah, the white man He said to John Henry "Well Henry, now damn your soul! You may beaten thissen steam manned drill of a mine When the rocks in the mountain turn to gold, Poor Boy When the rocks in the mountain turn to gold!" Tell you what John Henry said Yeah, John Henry, he looked down at the white man And lightning was in his eyes He said, "Captain bet your last red penny on me, I'll beat her to the bottom or I'll die Lord, Lord! I'll beat her to the bottom or I'll die. Oh yeah, I'll die" John Henry drove steel in the tunnel Hammer striking fire Well he drove so hard He broke his poor heart He laid down the hammer and he died Lord, Lord He laid down his hammer and he died Oh yeah, he died Yeah, he died Oh yeah, he died! John Henry died Yeah John Henry Had yet another woman The dress she wore now which was red Says "I'm going down that track, I ain't a-looking back I'm going where my Johnny-boy fell dead Lord, Lord I'm going where John Henry, he fell dead!" Yeah, where he died While driving steel Mmm, he was a working son-of-a-gun Yeah they took John Henry to the White House Laid him in that sand And every locomotive goes a-roaring by Says "Yonder lies a steel-driving man Lord, Lord Yonder lies a steel-driving man. A working boy Yonder lies a steel-driving man Lord, Lord Yeah, now yonder lies a steel Woah down yonder Yeah, down yonder Yonder lies a steel-driving man"