John Henry
Big Bill Broonzy Lyrics

Johnny told his old Captain
John Henry tells his boss

'Man, a-when you go downtown Bring me back the nine pounds hammer' I got to drive this steel on down I got to drive this steel on down
John Henry asks his boss to bring him a heavy hammer so he can work harder and faster

You see, Johnny's hammer Hit the mighty boiler The hammer caught on fire Now, the last word I heard The poor boy say 'I want a cool drink a-water 'fore I die' 'Yeah, a cool drink a-water 'fore I die'
John Henry's hammer overheats and he needs water to cool off, but he dies before he can get it

Johnny's wife She heard that Johnny was dead And she couldn't have stayed in bed Oh, now Monday mornin' Caught the eastbound train She said, I'm g'wine where my man fell dead 'Yeah! I'm goin' where my man fell dead'
John Henry's wife learns of his death and travels to the place where he died to mourn him

('Look out!') (harmonica & instrumental) Woo-ha! Woo-ha! Woo! Woo! Woo! (Woo! Lord, have mercy, too) (Ease your mind) (Yeah!)
This section of the song is musical and contains no lyrics

Johnny's wife, she wore A brand new dress (say) And it was trimmed in blue (Pretty thing) Yeah, the last were the words Said to him, oh Lord, now 'Honey, I been good to you' 'Yeah, honey I been good to you'
John Henry's wife wears a new dress to his funeral and tells him that she was a good wife to him

Well, they carried Little John To the graveyard (boys, listen) They looked at him good and long Now, the last were the words If you hear me, oh Lord 'Oh my husband, he is dead and gone' That's what she said She said, 'My husband, he is dead and gone' 'Yeah, my husband he is dead and gone'
John Henry is buried and his wife mourns him, repeating that he is both dead and gone

Yeah, when John Henry was a baby You could hold him in the paddles of your hand When everytime they'd rock him, cried (They say 'He sho' gonna be a little man') ('Yeah, he sho' gon' be a little man')
A story is told of John Henry as a baby, crying so much that people know he will grow up to be tough and strong

Yeah, who gonna buy yo' pretty shoes then? And who gonna roll yo' cheek?
John Henry's wife wonders who will take care of her and provide for her now that her husband is gone

FADES- She said, 'My daddy gonna buy my pretty lil' And John Henry gonna roll my cheek And John Henry gonna roll my cheek (That what it said) A-John Henry gonna roll my cheek.'
The song ends with John Henry's wife reminiscing about how he used to show affection towards her by rolling her cheeks