When John Henry was a little baby boy, sitting on his papas knee Well, he picked up his hammer and a little piece of steel, said Hammers gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord repeat 4 times The captain said to John Henry, Im gonna bring that steam drill around Im gonna bring that steam drill out on the job Im gonna whip that steel on down, Lord, Lord repeat 4 times John Henry told his captain, Lord, a man aint nothing but a man But before Id let your steam drill beat me down Id die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord repeat 4 times John Henry said to his shaker, Shaker, why dont you sing? Because Im swinging thirty pounds from my hips on down Just to listen to that cold steel ring, Lord, Lord repeat 4 times Now the captain said to John Henry, I believe that mountains caving in John Henry said right back to the captain Aint nothing but my hammer sucking wind, Lord, Lord repeat 4 times Now the man that invented the steam drill, he thought he was mighty fine But John Henry drove fifteen feet The steam drill only made nine, Lord, Lord repeat 4 times John Henry hammered in the mountains, his hammer was striking fire But he worked so hard, it broke his poor, poor heart And he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord repeat 4 times
henry, lord, john, drill, hammer