SloGrass

Lyrics

When John Henry was a little baby, sittin' on his daddy's knee
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
Said, "This hammer's gonna be death of me, Lord, Lord
Hammer's gonna be the death of me"

Captain said to John Henry, gonna bring that steam drill round
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God
I'm gonna knock that steel on down"

John Henry said to the captain, "Lord a man ain't noth' but a man
But before I let that steam drill beat me down
I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
I'll die with a hammer in my hand"

John Henry said to his shaker, "Shaker, why don't you sing?
Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my hips on down
Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord Lord
Listen to my cold steel ring"

John Henry hammered in the mountains. Hammer was striking fire
But he worked so hard; it broke his heart
John Henry laid down his hammer and died, Lord, Lord
John Henry laid down his hammer and died

John Henry he had him a woman. Her name of Polly Ann
She walked out to those tracks. Put John's hammer on her back.
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove that steel like a man

Now every Monday morning, when the bluebirds begin to sing
You can hear John Henry from a mile or more
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring