Well, every Monday mornin' when the bluebirds start to sing
You can hear those hammers for a mile or more
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
When John Henry was a little baby, sittin' on his back knee
Well, he picked up a hammer, a little bit of steel
Hammer gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord
Oh, hammer gonna be the death of me
And John Henry said to his shaker, he said,
Shaker, why don't you swing?
Cause a swingin' thirty pounds sweeps on down
Listen to that cold steel ring, Lord, Lord
Oh, listen to that cold steel ring
Hear it ring now
. . .
Well, the man who invented that steam drill
He thought it was mighty fine
John Henry drove fifteen feet
Steam drill only drove nine, Lord, Lord
Steam drill only drove nine
John Henry had himself a woman
Her name was Polly, yeah
Well, John Henry took sick
Had to go to bed
Polly and drove steel
Like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly and drove steel
Like a man
Sometimes when she'd be drivin' steel
She'd start to sing out loud
Sound a little like this
. . .
And she'd call out John Henry's name
She'd say, John
She'd say . . .
She'd say, John Henry
She'd say . . .
She'd say, your mama's comin' home, dear, come
They buried John Henry on a mountain
He's hammered by his side
People came from miles around
To hum their heads and cry, Lord, Lord
Hum their heads and cry
. . .
John Henry was a little baby
Sitting on his pappy's knee
Well, he picked up a hammer
A little bit of steel
Hammer gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord
Hammer gonna be the death of me
Well, the hammer gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord
Hammer gonna be the death of me