John Henry
Bill Wood Lyrics

When John Henry was a little baby boy, sitting on the his papa's knee
John Henry's childhood and upbringing is being depicted where he is shown sitting on his father's knee as a little baby boy.

Well he picked up a hammer and little piece of steel
John Henry picked up a hammer and a piece of steel, which would later turn out to be the source of his livelihood and culture.

Said Hammer's gonna be the death of me, lord, lord Hammer's gonna be the death of mine
The hammer, which he picked up as a little boy, became his destiny and would ultimately lead to his death.

The captain said to John Henry I'm gonna bring that steam drill around I'm gonna bring that sterm drill out on the job I'm gonna whup that steel on down
John Henry's captain announced his plan to use a steam drill to disrupt John Henry's way of life and work.

John Henry told his captain Lord a man ain't nothing but a man But before I'd let your steam drill beat me down I'd die with a hammer in my hand
John Henry declared that he would rather die than let the steam drill beat him and that being a man, nothing could demean or defeat him.

John Henry asid to his shaker Shaker why don't you sing Because I'm swinging thirty pounds from my hips on down Just listen to that cold steel ring
John Henry interacted with his shaker and asks him to sing and gets motivated by the sound of the steel ringing as he swings his hammer.

Now the captain said to John Henry I believe that mountain's caving in John Henry said right back to the captain Ain't nothing but my hammer sucking wind
John Henry disputes the captain's claim that the mountain is caving in and tells him that the sound he hears is that of his hammer striking the steel hard.

Now the man that invented the steam drill He thought he was mighty fine But John Henry srove fifteen feet The steam drill only made nine
The inventor of the steam drill was proud of his creation, but John Henry proves that his hammer and strength made him more productive than the steam drill.

John Henry hammered in the mountains His hammer was striking fire But he worked so hard, it broke his poor heart And he laid down his hammerand he died
John Henry's hard work and dedication caused him to work himself to death and finally, his heart gave out, which was a huge loss for the people who knew and loved him.

NOw John Henry had a little woman Her name was polly Anne John Henry took sick and had to go to bed Polly Anne drove steel like a man
John Henry's wife, Polly Anne, was a strong woman, and when John fell sick and was unable to work, she took on the responsibility and started doing his work.

John Henry had a little baby You could hold him in the palm of your hand And the last words I heard that poor boy say My daddy was a steel driving man
John Henry's legacy lives on through his son, who talks about how his father worked hard and made a living by driving steel into the hard mountain rocks.

So every Monday morning When the blue dirds begin to sing You can hear John Henry a mile or more You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
Even today, John Henry's hammer still echoes across the mountains every Monday morning as the blue birds begin to sing, reminding us of his incredible contribution and passion for his work.