The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer

John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight

He said Fore the sheriff comes

I wanna tell you listen boy

Said Learn to ball a jack

Learn to lay a track

Learn to pick

And shovel too

And take my hammer

It'll do anything you tell it to

John Henry's mammy had

About a dozen babies

John Henry's pappy broke jail

About a dozen times

The babies all got sick

And when the doctor wanted money

He said I'll pay you a quarter

At a time startin' tomorrow

That's the pay for a steel driver

On this line

Then the section foreman

Said Hey hammer swinger

I see you brought your own hammer boy

But what else can all those muscles do

And he said

I can turn a jack

I can lay a track

I can pick and shovel too

Can you swing a hammer boy

Yes sir I'll do anything you hire me to

Now ain't you somethin'

So high and mighty wif your muscles

Just go ahead boy and pick up that hammer

Pick up the hammer

He said Get a rusty spike

And swing it down three times

I'll pay you a nickel a day

For every inch you sink it to

Go on and do what you say you can do

With a steep nose hammer

On a four foot switch handle

John Henry raised it back 'til

It touched his heels then

The spike went through the cross tie

And it split it half in two

Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel

Sweat sweat boy

Sweat you owe me two more swings

I was born for driven steel

Well John Henry hammered in the mountain

He'd give a grunt he'd give a groan

With every swing

The women folks for miles around heard him

And come down

To watch him make the cold steel ring Lord

What a swinger

Just listen to that cold steel ring

But the bad boss come up laughin' at John Henry

Said You full of vinegar now

But you about through

We gonna get a steam drill to do

Your share of drivin'

Then what's all them muscles gonna do

Huh John Henry

Gonna take a little bit of vinegar

Out of you

John Henry said I feed four little brothers

And baby sister's walkin' on her knees

Did the Lord say that

Machines oughtta take the place of livin'

And what's a substitute for bread and beans

I ain't seen it

Do engines get rewarded for their steam

John Henry hid in a coal mine

For his dinner nap

Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell

The mine boss hollered Get up

Whoever you are and get a pick axe

Give me enough coal to start another hell

And keep it burnin'

Mine me enough to start another hell

John Henry said to his captain

A man ain't nothin' but a man

But if you'll bring that steam drill round

I'll beat it fair and honest

I'll die with my hammer in my hand

But I'll be laughin'

'Cuz you can't replace a steel drivin' man

There was a big crowd of people

At the mountain

John Henry said to the steam drill

How is you

Pardon me mister steam drill

I suppose you didn't hear me

I said How're you

Well can you turn a jack can you lay a track

Can you pick and shovel too

Listen this hammer swinger's talkin' to you

Two thousand people hollered Go John Henry

Then somebody hollered The mountain's caving in

John Henry told the captain

Tell the kind folks don't worry

That ain't nothin'

But my hammer suckin' wind it

Keeps me breathin'

A steel driver's muscle I intend

Captain tell the people move back further

I'm at the finish line

And there ain't no drill

It's so far behind

But yet ain't got the brains to quit it

When she blows up

She'll scatter 'cross the hills Lord lordy

When she blows up

She'll scatter 'cross the hills

Well John Henry had a little woman

I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann

Yeah that was his good woman

John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder

And went on home

He laid down to rest his weary back

And early next mornin'

He said Come here Polly Ann come here sugar

Ya know I believe this is the first time

I ever watched

The sun come up that I couldn't come up

Take my hammer Polly Ann

And go to that railroad

Swing that hammer like you seen me do it

And when you're swingin' with the lead man

They'll all know

They'll all know you're John Henry's woman

But but tell them ain't all you can do

Tell 'em I can hoist a jack

And I can lay a track

I can pick

And shovel too ain't no machine can

That's been proved to you

There was a big crowd of mourners

At the church house

The section hands laid him in the sand

Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid

They slow down

And take off their hats the men do

When they come to the place

Where John Henry's layin'

Restin' his back some of 'em

Say Mornin' steel driver

You sure was a hammer swinger

Then they go on by pickin' up

A little speed

Clickity clack

Clickity clack

Clickity clack

Clickity clack

Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord

Yonder lies a steel drivin' man

Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord

Yonder lies a steel drivin' man

Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord

Yonder lies a steel drivin' man