John Henry
Cisco Houston & Woody Guthrie Lyrics

John Henry, when he was a baby Settin' on his mammy's knee Picked up an hammer in his little right hand Said, "Hammer be the death of me, me, me Hammer be the death of me"
John Henry was born with the spirit of a hard worker. Even as a baby, he was already comfortable holding a hammer, and he feared that one day, this instrument that he would eventually use to do his work would also be the cause of his demise.

Some say he's born in Texas Some say he's born up in Maine I just say he was a Louisiana man Leader of a steel-driving chain gang Leader on a steel-driving gang
John Henry was possibly born in different parts of the United States, but to me, he's a Louisiana man who led a team of workers who pounded steel rods into the rock to build bridges and tunnels.

Well, the Captain said to John Henry "I'm gonna bring my steam drill around Gonna bring my steam drill out on the job Gonna whup that steel on down, down, down Whup that steel on down"
The Captain challenged John Henry to a race to prove whether human labor or machine power is better when it comes to drilling and shaping steel.

John Henry said to the Captain (What he say?) "You can bring your steam drill around You can bring your steam drill out on the job I'll beat your steam drill down, down, down Beat your steam drill down"
John Henry was confident that he could beat the steam drill in a steel-driving contest, displaying his faith in his strength and stamina against the steam-powered machine that seemed to have an unfair advantage.

John Henry said to his Shaker "Shaker, you had better pray If you miss your six feet of steel I'll be your buryin' day, day, day I'll be your buryin' day"
John Henry warned his fellow worker to be vigilant and focus on the task at hand, or else they would suffer the consequences. He emphasized the importance of always doing the job well and avoiding careless mistakes that put oneself and others at risk.

Now, the Shaker said to John Henry (Yes sir) "Man ain't nothing but a man (No he ain't) But before I'd let that steam drill beat me down (I believe him) I'd die with an hammer in my hand, hand, hand (I believe him) I'd die with an hammer in my hand"
The Shaker acknowledged that man is vulnerable and at a disadvantage compared to the strength of machines. Still, he declared that he would rather die doing what he loved and what he was good at—driving steel with a hammer—than admit defeat to an inanimate metal contraption.

John Henry had a little woman Her name was Polly Anne John Henry took sick and was laid up in bed While Polly handled steel like a man, man, man Polly handled steel like a man
John Henry had a partner who was just as fearless and hardworking as he was. When he got sick, she took up his work and did it just as well. She, too, had the same spirit of strength and determination as John Henry did.

They took John Henry to the graveyard Laid him down in the sand Every locomotive comin' a-rolling by Hollered, there lies a steel-drivin' man, man, man There lies a steel-drivin' man There lies a steel-drivin' man, man, man There lies a steel-drivin' man
John Henry became a legend among the workers who knew him, a symbol of hard work and determination that inspired many to follow in his footsteps. Even after his death, his spirit and story lived on, as evidenced by the many train whistles that sounded past his grave, a tribute to the man who showed them the meaning of true grit.