John Henry
Now I tell you the story of John Henry
I guess he was a Louisiana man
But one thing is right: in that night when he died
He was the leader of a steeldrivin’ chain gang
John Henry when he was a baby, (that’s told)
Sittin’ on his daddy’s knee
He pint his little finger at a piece of steel
And said: steel goin’ be the death of me me me
Well, some say he’s born down in Texas
Some say he was born up in Main
But I just say he was a Louisiana man
He was the leader of a steeldrivin’ chain gang
John Henry had a little woman
Just as pretty as she could be
The only objection I’ze got to her
She want ev’ry man she see see see
John Henry had another woman
The dress she wore was blue
She went walkin down the track, she never came back
This loved one had never been true true true
They took John Henry to the mountain
That mountain was so high
Mountain so tall and John Henry so small
Laid down his hammer and he cried cried cried
Once, John Henry said to his shaker (What did he say?):
Shaker, boy, you better pray
‘Cause if you miss your six-foot steel
Tomorrow’ll be your buryin’ day day day
Now the shaker said to John Henry (What did he say?):
When a man is nothin’ but a man
I’m a throwin’ a hundred pound, from my hips throwin’ down,
I’m a-doin’ all what any man can can can
Than the captain said to John Henry (What did he say?):
I believe this mountain’s sinkin’ in
But John Henry said: ain’t nothin’ but my hammer
Ain’t nothin’ but my hammer’s sucking win’ win’ win’
When John Henry died in that mountain
All the women couldn’t stay in bed
They stood in the rain, to catch the east bound train
Going where John Henry’s dead dead dead
They took John Henry to the tunnel
And they buried him in the sand
Ev’ry little girl, coming down the road, said
There lays my steeldrivin’ man man man