Lyrics: Traditional
Music: Traditional
Played by Ron Pigpen McKernan and Peter Albin at the Tangent in 1964
in a slightly truncated version.
Well John Henry was a little baby boy
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
And cried, hammer's gonna be death of me, Lord, Lord
Hammer's gonna be the death of me
Now the captain he said to John Henry
I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, Lord, Lord
I'm gonna knock that steel on down
John Henry told his captain
Lord a man ain't nothing 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 driving on the right side
That steam drill driving on the left Says, fore I let your steam drill beat me down
I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord
I'll hammer my fool self to death
Well captain said to John Henry, what is that storm I hear
John Henry said, that ain't no storm captain
That's just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord
That's just my hammer in the air
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 he hammered in the mountains
His 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
Well, now John Henry he had him a woman
By the name of Polly Ann
She walked out to those track,s picked up John Henry's hammer
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove that steel like a man
Well every, every Monday morning
When a blue bird he began to sing
You could hear John Henry from a mile or more
You could hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring