JOHN HENRY
1. John Henry when he was a baby
Sittin' on his mammy's knee
He picked up an hammer in his little right hand
Said "Hammer be the death of me, me, me
Hammer be the death of me".
2. Well, the Captain said to John Henry
"I'm gonna bring my steam drill around
Gonna bring my steam drill out on the job
Gonna whup that steel on down, down, down
Gonna whup that steel on down".
3. John Henry said to the Captain
"A man ain't nothing but a man
But before I'll let that steam drill beat me down
I'll dye with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
I"ll dye with a hammer in my hand".
4. The man who invented the steam drill
He thought it was mighty fine
But John Henry made fifteen feet long
The steam drill only made nine, Lord, Lord, Lord
The steam drill only made nine, Lord.
Traditionnel
5. John Henry hammered in the mountain
His hammer was strikin' fire
But he worked so hard, he broke his poor heart
He laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord
He laid down his hammer and he died.
6. John Henry had a little woman
His name was polly Anne
John Henry took sick and he laid down in bed
While Polly handled steel like a man, man, man
Polly handled steel like a man.
7. They took John Henry to the graveyard
Laid him down in the sand
Every locomotive comin' a-rolling by
Hollered, there lies a steel-drivin' man, man man
There lies a steel-drivin' man
There lies a steel-drivin' man, man, man
There lies a steel-drivin' man.
