Big John, Big JohnEvery morning at the mine you could see him arriveHe stood six foot six and weighed two-forty-fiveKind of broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hipAnd everybody knew he didn't give no lip to Big JohnBig John, Big JohnBig Bad JohnNobody seemed to know where John called homeHe just drifted into town and stayed all aloneHe didn't say much, he kind of quiet and shyAnd if you spoke at all you just said hi to Big JohnSomebody said he came from New OrleansWhere he got into a fight over a Cajun queenAnd a crashing blow from a huge right handSent a Louisiana fella to the promised landBig JohnThen came the day at the bottom of the mineWhen a timber cracked and the men started cryingAnd miners were praying and hearts beat fastAnd everybody thought that they'd breathed their lastExcept JohnThrough the dust and the smoke of this man-made hellWalked a giant of a man-made hellThat the miners knew wellHe grabbed a sagging timberAnd gave out with a groanAnd like a giant old treeHe just stood there aloneBig JohnBig John, Big JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnAnd with all of his strengthHe gave a mighty shoveThen a miner yelled outThere's a light up aboveAnd twenty men scrambled from a would-be graveAnd now there's only one man leftThere's only one left down there to saveBig JohnWith jacks and timbers they started back downAnd then came that rumble way down in the groundAnd smoke and gas belched out of that mineAnd everybody knew it was the end of the lineFor Big JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnNow they never reopened that worthless pitThey just placed a marble stand in front of itAnd these few words are written on that standAt the bottom of this mineLies a big, big manBig JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad John