John
Henry was a little baby boy
You could hold him in the palm of your hand
He let out a long and lonesome cry
He said, I'm gonna be a
steel -driving man
I'm gonna be a steel
-driving man
They took
John
Henry to the tunnel
They put him in the league to drive
The rock was so tall and
John was so small
That he lied down his hammer
and he cried
Yes he did now
That he lied down his
hammer and he cried
John
Henry started on the right side
The steam drill started on the left
Before I let that steam drill beat me down
I'll hammer my fool self to death
Yes I will now
I'll hammer my fool self to death
John
Henry told his captain
A man ain't nothin' but a man
Oh, I let your steam drill beat me down
I'll die with this hammer in my hand
Yes, I will now
I'll die with the hammer in my hand
John
Henry had a little woman
Her name was
Polly
Ann
John got sick and he had to go to bed
Polly drove steel like a man,
yes he did now
Polly drove steel like a man
Now the captain told
John
Henry, I believe my tunnel is sinking in
Stand back captain, don't you be afraid
That ain't nothing but my
hammer sucking wind
Ain't nothin' but my
hammer suckin' wind
John
Henry told his captain
Lookey I'm a boy what do you see
Your drill done broke and your hole is done
And you can't drive steel like me
And you can't drive steel like me
John
Henry hammered in the mountains
Till the handle of his hammer caught fire
He drove so hard till he
broke his poor heart
Then he lied down his hammer and he died
Yes he did, he lied down his
hammer and he died
You know they took
John
Henry through the tunnel
And they buried him in the sand
And every locomotive come ridin' by
They say there lies a steel -drivin' man
There lies a steel -drivin' man
Thanks watching!