John Henry was about three days old
Sittin' on his papa's knee.
He picked up a hammer
And a little piece of steel
Said, "this hammer's gonna be
The death of me
Lord, Lord
This hammer's gonna be the death of me"
The captain said to John Henry
"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round
Gonna bring that steam drill
Out on the job
Gonna whop that steel on down
Down, down
Gonna whop that steel on down"
John Henry told his captain
"A man ain't nothin' but a man
But before I let your steam drill
Beat me down
I'd die with a hammer in my hand
Lord, Lord
I'd die with a hammer in my hand"
John Henry said to his shaker
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
I'm throwin' thirty pounds
From my hips on down
Just listen to that cold steel ring
Lord, Lord
Listen to that cold steel ring"
The man that invented the stream drill
Thought he was mighty fine
But John Henry he made fifteen feet;
The steam drill only made nine
Lord, Lord
The steam drill only made nine
John Henry hammered in the mountain
His hammer was striking fire
But he worked so hard
he broke his poor heart
And he laid down his hammer and he died
Lord, Lord
He laid down his hammer and he died
He laid down his hammer and he died
Lord, Lord
He laid down his hammer and he died
Well, every Monday morning
When the bluebirds begin to sing
You can hear John Henry a mile or more
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
Lord, Lord
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
Hammer ring
