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John Henry was about three days old, |
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Sittin' on his papa's knee. |
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He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel; |
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Said, "Hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord. |
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Hammer's gonna be the death of me." |
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The captain said to John Henry |
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"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round. |
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Gonna bring that steam drill out on the job. |
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Gonna whop that steel on down. Down, |
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Down. |
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Whop that steel on down." |
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John Henry told his captain, |
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"A man ain't nothin' but a man, |
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But before I let your steam drill beat me |
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Down, |
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I'd die with a hammer in my hand. Lord, |
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Lord. |
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I'd dies with a hammer in my hand." |
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John Henry said to his shaker, |
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"Shaker, why don't you sing? |
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I'm throwin' thirty pounds from my hips on |
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Down. |
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Just listen to that cold steel ring. Lord, Lord. |
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Listen to that cold steel ring." |
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The man that invented the stream drill |
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Thought he was mighty fine, |
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But John Henry made fifteen feet; |
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The steam drill only made nine. Lord, Lord. |
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The steam drill only made nine. |
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John Henry hammered in the mountain |
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His hammer was striking fire. |
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But he worked so hard, he broke his poor |
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Heart. |
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He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord, |
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Lord. |
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He laid down his hammer and he died. |
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John Henry had a little woman. |
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Her name was Polly Ann. |
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John Henry took sick and went to his bed. |
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Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord, |
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Lord. |
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Polly Ann drove steel like a man. |
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John Henry had a little baby. |
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You could hold him in the palm of your |
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Hand. |
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The last words I heard that poor boy say, |
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"My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord, |
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Lord. |
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My daddy was a steel-driving." |
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Well, every Monday morning |
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When the bluebirds begin to sing. |
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You can hear John Henry a mile or more. |
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You can hear John Henry's hammer ring. |
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Lord, Lord. |
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You can hear John Henry's hammer ring. |
