John Henry

John Henry when he was a baby

Settin' on his mammy's knee

Picked up an hammer in his little right hand Said

Hammer be the death of me me me

Hammer be the death of me!

Hammer be the death of me me me

Hammer be the death of me!

"Well" Some say he's born in Texas

Some say he's born up in Maine

I just say he was a Louisiana man

Leader of a steel-driving chain gang

Leader on a steel-driving gang

Leader of a steel-driving chain gang

Leader on a steel-driving gang

"Well", the captain said to John Henry

"I'm gonna bring my steam drill around

Gonna whup that steel on down down down

Whup that steel on down!"

Whup that steel on down down down

Whup that steel on down!

John Henry said to the captain (what he say?)

"You can bring your steam drill around

Gonna bring my steam drill out on the job

I'll beat your steam drill down down down

Beat your steam drill down!"

I'll beat your steam drill down down down

Beat your steam drill down!

John Henry said to his Shaker

"Shaker you had better pray

If you miss your six feet of steel

It'll be your buryin' day day day

It'll be your buryin' day!

Now the Shaker said to John Henry

Well Man ain't nothing but a man

But before I'd let that steam drill beat me down

I'd die with an hammer in my hand hand hand

I'd die with an hammer in my hand!"

I'd die with an hammer in my hand hand hand

I'd die with an hammer in my hand!