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John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight |
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He said, "'Fore the sheriff comes I wanna tell you, listen boy" |
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Said, "Learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track |
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Learn to pick and shovel too and take my hammer |
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It'll do anything you tell it to" |
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John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies |
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John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times |
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The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money |
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He said, "I'll pay you a quarter at a time startin' tomorrow |
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That's the pay for a steel driver on this line" |
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Then the section foreman said, "Hey, hammer swinger |
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I see you brought your own hammer boy |
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But what else can all those muscles do |
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And he said, "I can turn a jack, I can lay a track |
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I can pick and shovel too" |
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Can you swing a hammer boy? |
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Yes sir, I'll do anything, you hire me to |
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Now ain't you somethin' |
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So high and mighty wif your muscles |
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Just go ahead, boy and pick up that hammer |
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Pick up the hammer |
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He said, "Get a rusty spike and swing it down three times |
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I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to |
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Go on and do what you say you can do" |
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With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch handle |
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John Henry raised it back 'til it touched his heels then |
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The spike went through the cross tie and it split it half in two |
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Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel |
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Sweat, sweat boy, sweat, you owe me two more swings |
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I was born for driven steel |
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Well John Henry hammered in the mountain |
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He'd give a grunt, he'd give a groan with every swing |
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The women folks for miles around heard him and come down |
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To watch him make the cold steel ring, Lord what a swinger |
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Just listen to that cold steel ring |
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But the bad boss come up laughin' at John Henry |
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Said, "You full of vinegar now, but you about through |
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We gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin' |
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Then what's all them muscles gonna do? Huh, John Henry? |
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Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you" |
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John Henry said, "I feed four little brothers |
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And baby sister's walkin' on her knees |
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Did the Lord say that machines oughtta take the place of livin'? |
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And what's a substitute for bread and beans? I ain't seen it |
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Do engines get rewarded for their steam?" |
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John Henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner nap |
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Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell |
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The mine boss hollered, "Get up, whoever you are, and get a pick axe |
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Give me enough coal to start another hell and keep it burnin' |
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Mine me enough to start another hell" |
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John Henry said to his captain," A man ain't nothin' but a man |
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But if you'll bring that steam drill round, I'll beat it fair and honest |
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I'll die with my hammer in my hand but I'll be laughin' |
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'Cuz you can't replace a steel drivin' man" |
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There was a big crowd of people at the mountain |
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John Henry said to the steam drill, "How is you? |
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Pardon me mister steam drill, I suppose you didn't hear me" |
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I said, "How're you?" |
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Well can you turn a jack, can you lay a track |
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Can you pick and shovel too? |
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Listen, this hammer swinger's talkin' to you |
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Two thousand people hollered, "Go, John Henry" |
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Then somebody hollered, "The mountain's caving in" |
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John Henry told the captain, "Tell the kind folks don't worry |
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That ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind, it keeps me breathin' |
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A steel driver's muscle I intend" |
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Captain, tell the people, move back further |
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I'm at the finish line and there ain't no drill |
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It's so far behind but yet ain't got the brains to quit it |
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When she blows up she'll scatter 'cross the hills, Lord lordy |
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When she blows up she'll scatter 'cross the hills |
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Well John Henry had a little woman |
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I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann |
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Yeah that was his good woman |
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John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home |
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He laid down to rest his weary back and early next mornin' |
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He said, "Come here Polly Ann, come here sugar |
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Ya know, I believe this is the first time I ever watched |
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The sun come up that I couldn't come up" |
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"Take my hammer, Polly Ann and go to that railroad |
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Swing that hammer like you seen me do it |
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And when you're swingin' with the lead man |
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They'll all know, they'll all know you're John Henry's woman |
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But, but tell them ain't all you can do" |
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"Tell 'em I can hoist a jack, and I can lay a track |
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I can pick and shovel too, ain't no machine can |
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That's been proved to you" |
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There was a big crowd of mourners at the church house |
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The section hands laid him in the sand |
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Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid |
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They slow down and take off their hats, the men do |
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When they come to the place where John Henry's layin' |
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Restin' his back, some of 'em say, "Mornin', steel driver |
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You sure was a hammer swinger" |
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Then they go on by, pickin' up a little speed |
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Clickity clack, clickity clack, clickity clack, clickity clack |
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Yonder lies a steel drivin' man, oh, Lord |
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Yonder lies a steel drivin' man |
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Yonder lies a steel drivin' man, oh, Lord |
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Yonder lies a steel drivin' man |
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Yonder lies a steel drivin' man, oh, Lord |
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Yonder lies a steel drivin' man |
