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, 'Hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord

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

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 dies 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 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

He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord

Lord

He laid down his hammer and he died

John Henry had a little woman

Her name was Polly Ann

John Henry took sick and went to his bed

Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord

Lord

Polly Ann drove steel like a man

John Henry had a little baby

You could hold him in the palm of your

Hand

The last words I heard that poor boy say

'My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord

Lord

My daddy was a steel-driving.'

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