John Henry
Booker T. Sapps Lyrics

John Henry was about three days old,
John Henry was just a newborn, on his father's lap

Sittin' on his papa's knee.
He was sitting comfortably, on his father's lap

He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel;
He grabbed a hammer and a small piece of steel

Said, "Hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord.
John Henry was afraid the heavy work of using a hammer will eventually lead to his death

The captain said to John Henry
John Henry's boss talked to him

"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round.
They were going to bring a steam drill to help with the work

Gonna bring that steam drill out on the job.
They were going to use the steam drill at work

Gonna whop that steel on down. Down,
They were going to break the steel into smaller pieces

Down.

John Henry told his captain,
John Henry spoke up to his boss

"A man ain't nothin' but a man,
John Henry believed that anyone, regardless of strength, was still a human being

But before I let your steam drill beat me
John Henry was determined not to let the steam drill complete the work instead of his team's muscles

Down,

I'd die with a hammer in my hand. Lord,
John Henry would rather die with his hammer in hand than to let the steam drill take over

Lord.

I'd dies with a hammer in my hand."

John Henry said to his shaker,
John Henry spoke to his assistant

"Shaker, why don't you sing?
John Henry asked his assistant to sing

I'm throwin' thirty pounds from my hips on
John Henry was working hard, swinging a heavy hammer

Down.

Just listen to that cold steel ring. Lord, Lord.
John Henry is amazed at the sound made by the steel

Listen to that cold steel ring."

The man that invented the stream drill
The inventor of the steam drill

Thought he was mighty fine,
The steam drill inventor was very proud of his creation

But John Henry made fifteen feet;
John Henry was able to break fifteen feet of steel by himself

The steam drill only made nine. Lord, Lord.
The steam drill could only break nine feet of steel, despite being invented to make the work easier

The steam drill only made nine."

John Henry hammered in the mountain
John Henry was working in the mountains

His hammer was striking fire.
John Henry was swinging his hammer so hard and fast that sparks were flying

But he worked so hard, he broke his poor heart.
John Henry's hard work was too much for him, and he suffered a heart attack

He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord, Lord.
John Henry succumbed to his fatal heart attack and passed away

He laid down his hammer and he died."

John Henry had a little woman.
John Henry was married

Her name was Polly Ann.
John Henry's wife's name was Polly Ann

John Henry took sick and went to his bed.
John Henry became ill and had to stay in bed

Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord, Lord.
Despite being a woman, Polly Ann did the steel work like a man

Polly Ann drove steel like a man."

John Henry had a little baby.
John Henry was a father

You could hold him in the palm of your hand.
The baby was very small and could fit in the palm of a hand

The last words I heard that poor boy say,
The last thing the baby said before passing away

"My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord, Lord.
The baby was proud to say that his father was a hardworking steel driver

My daddy was a steel-driving."

Well, every Monday morning
At the beginning of each workweek

When the bluebirds begin to sing.
When the bluebirds start chirping

You can hear John Henry a mile or more.
You can hear the sound of John Henry's hammer from very far away

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring. Lord, Lord.
The sound of John Henry's hammer is strong and clear

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring."