Lyrics - John Henry by Seeger Pete

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 medown,
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 ondown.
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 poorheart.
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 yourhand.
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.

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