John Henry
Harry Belafonte Lyrics

John Henry he could hammer, He could whistle, he could sing He went to the mountain early in the mornin' Just to hear his hammer ring, Lord, Lord Just to hear his hammer ring. Just to hear his hammer ring, Lord, Lord Just to hear his hammer ring.
John Henry was a skilled craftsman with an industrious attitude. Every day, he would wake up early to begin his work, taking pride in the sound of his hammer striking the metal.

When John Henry was a little baby, Sittin' on his daddy's knee He picked up a hammer, a little piece of steel, Said hammer be the death of me, Lord, Lord Said hammer be the death of me Said hammer be the death of me, Lord, Lord Said hammer be the death of me
John Henry had a predestined path in life, as his love for hard labor was evident from an early age. He picked up a hammer when he was a child and instinctually knew that such a fate would be his end.

When John Henry's fam'ly needed money, Said he didn't have but a dime If you wait 'til the red sun goes down I'll get it from the man in the mine, Lord, Lord I'll get it from the man in the mine I'll get it from the man in the mine, Lord, Lord I'll get it from the man in the mine
John Henry was tenacious and resourceful, using his connections and hard work to make ends meet. He would head to the mines to find work and provide for his family when there were no other options.

Well John Henry went to the Captain Said the captain, what can you do I can hoist a jack, I can lay a track I can pick and shovel too, Lord, Lord I can pick and shovel too I can pick and shovel too, Lord, Lord I can pick and shovel too
John Henry was a proud man, quick to show off his skills to anyone who would listen. When he saw the Captain, he knew he had to prove himself and rattled off a list of his various talents.

Well the captain said to John Henry, Gonna bring me a steam drill 'round Gonna bring me a steam drill out on the job Gonna whup that steel on down, Lord, Lord Whup that steel on down
The Captain, impressed but perhaps a bit threatened by John Henry's skills, boasted that he would bring in a steam drill to take the place of human laborers. He claimed it would be superior, and help him work more efficiently.

Well John Henry said to the captain, Oh a man ain't nothin' but a man 'Fore I'd let your steam drill beat me down, I'd die with my hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord Die with my hammer in my hand
John Henry was a man of principle, unwilling to let his work be replaced by technology. He stated that he would rather die than let the steam drill demonstrate that a man was inferior to a machine when it came to labor.

Well John Henry said to the captain, Looka yonder what I see, Hole done choke, drill done broke, And you can't drive steel like me, Lord, Lord Can't drive steel like me Oh no, you can't drive steel like me, no no Can't drive steel like me
John Henry's work ethic, skill, and determination made him superior to the steam drill, which broke under the weight of the job. He knew that his extensive experience provided an advantage that no machine could ever match.

Well John Henry drove into the mountain, His hammer was strikin' fire He drove so hard he broke his poor heart And he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord Laid down his hammer and he died He laid down his hammer and he died, Great God Laid down his hammer and he died
John Henry's drive and passion led him to work as hard as he could, even when it became too much. He worked until he died of heart failure and exhaustion, a testament to his determination and willingness to work.

Oh they took John Henry to the White House And they buried him in the sand Every locomotive come roarin' by Says there lies a steel drivin' man, Lord, Lord There lies a steel drivin' man Says there lies a steel drivin' man, Lord, Lord There lies a steel drivin' man
John Henry's legacy lives on even after his death, as people remember him for his hard work and his commitment to his craft. The people honor him for what he did, and use it as an inspiration to work just as hard.

Shaker why don't you sing, I'm throwin' twelve pounds from my hips on down, Just listen to the cold steel ring, Just listen to the cold steel ring
John Henry's work ethic is so strong that just upon hearing the steel ring, he begins to sing and work even harder. He enjoys the sound and is inspired by it to work even more, pushing himself to the limit.

Well the Captain says to John Henry, I believe this mountains cavin' in John Henry said to the Captain, 'T ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind, 'T ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind
Even when he is warned about potential danger, John Henry takes pride in the source of the problem being his tool, his hammer. He doesn't hesitate to explain that he is so skilled that he can overcome the natural challenges that are presented and will work just as hard to get the job done.

The man that invented the steamdrill, Thought he was mighty fine, John Henry made his fifteen feet, The steamdrill only made nine, The steamdrill only made nine
John Henry's incredible work ethic and skill resoundingly proved to everyone that he was better than any machine. Although the steam drill inventor thought highly of his creation, John Henry was able to outperform it, proving that the power of a determined worker knows no bounds.

Well John Henry had a little woman, And her name was Polly Ann
John Henry was deeply in love with his wife, Polly Ann. She was likely a great source of inspiration and gave him a reason to work even harder, knowing that he was providing for her and their family.