After signing a contract with Warner Bros, Laurie released a blues album Let Them Talk , which was released initially in France on April 18, 2011 and later in the UK on May 9th.
He has written one novel, "The Gun Seller," and another one, "The Paper Soldier," is tentatively scheduled for September 2009. Mr. Laurie has some musical talent, notably the piano and mouth trumpet (he can make convincing trumpet sounds using just his mouth). He played '20s numbers on the piano in the TV series "Jeeves and Wooster" (again with Stephen Fry) in addition to some original comic songs in "A Bit Of Fry & Laurie." He is currently a member of "Band from TV" with several other TV personalities. He is married with children, although he has become somewhat of an absentee father due to his work on American television while his family stays in London.
John Henry
Hugh Laurie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sittin' on his papa's knee.
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel;
Said, "Hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord.
Hammer's gonna be the death of me."
The captain said to John Henry
"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round.
Gonna bring that steam drill out on the job.
Down.
Whop that steel on down."
John Henry told his captain,
"A man ain't nothin' but a man,
But before I let your steam drill beat me
Down,
I'd die with a hammer in my hand. Lord,
Lord.
I'd dies with a hammer in my hand."
John Henry said to his shaker,
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
I'm throwin' thirty pounds from my hips on
Down.
Just listen to that cold steel ring. Lord, Lord.
Listen to that cold steel ring."
The man that invented the stream drill
Thought he was mighty fine,
But John Henry made fifteen feet;
The steam drill only made nine. Lord, Lord.
The steam drill only made nine.
John Henry hammered in the mountain
His hammer was striking fire.
But he worked so hard, he broke his poor
Heart.
He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord,
Lord.
He laid down his hammer and he died.
John Henry had a little woman.
Her name was Polly Ann.
John Henry took sick and went to his bed.
Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord,
Lord.
Polly Ann drove steel like a man.
John Henry had a little baby.
You could hold him in the palm of your
Hand.
The last words I heard that poor boy say,
"My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord,
Lord.
My daddy was a steel-driving."
Well, every Monday morning
When the bluebirds begin to sing.
You can hear John Henry a mile or more.
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring.
Lord, Lord.
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring.
The song John Henry tells the story of a legendary African-American folk hero who was known for his incredible strength and skill as a steel-driving man. The song starts with an image of John Henry as a baby, holding a hammer and a piece of steel on his father's knee. As he grows up, he becomes a steel driver and is challenged by the captain of the railroad company to prove his worth against a new steam drill.
As the song progresses, John Henry is shown as a man of immense character and strength, determined to hold onto his way of life even as it is threatened by new technology. He refuses to be beaten by the steam drill and tells his captain that he would rather die with a hammer in his hand than be bested by a machine. Despite his valiant efforts, however, John Henry dies from exhaustion after working too hard and pushing himself too far.
Throughout the song, we see the social and political context of John Henry's struggle against the steam drill. He represents the traditional values and ways of life that were being threatened by the technological advances of the time, and his story is a testament to the perseverance and strength of African-American workers in the face of oppression.
Line by Line Meaning
John Henry was about three days old,
John Henry was only a few days old when he was sitting 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 felt that his love for hammering was going to be the death of him.
The captain said to John Henry
The captain spoke to John Henry.
"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round.
The captain was planning to bring in a steam drill.
Gonna bring that steam drill out on the job.
The captain wanted to use the steam drill for their work.
Gonna whop that steel on down. Down, Down.
They believed the steam drill could work faster and harder to get the job done.
John Henry told his captain,
John Henry spoke to his captain.
"A man ain't nothin' but a man,
John Henry believed that every man was equal.
But before I let your steam drill beat me Down,
However, he refused to let the steam drill beat him at his job.
I'd die with a hammer in my hand. Lord, Lord.
John Henry was willing to die with his hammer in his hand as a testament to his hard work.
John Henry said to his shaker,
John Henry spoke with his shaker.
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
He asked his shaker to sing.
I'm throwin' thirty pounds from my hips on Down.
John Henry was working hard, using his hips to throw thirty pounds of steel down.
Just listen to that cold steel ring. Lord, Lord.
Despite the hard work, John Henry loved hearing the sound of the steel ring.
The man that invented the stream drill
John Henry was talking about the inventor of the steam drill.
Thought he was mighty fine,
The inventor of the steam drill believed that he was superior.
But John Henry made fifteen feet;
John Henry had worked hard and had made fifteen feet of progress.
The steam drill only made nine. Lord, Lord.
The steam drill could only make nine feet of progress.
John Henry hammered in the mountain
John Henry worked in the mountains.
His hammer was striking fire.
John Henry worked so hard that his hammer was creating sparks.
But he worked so hard, he broke his poor Heart.
John Henry's hard work was so intense that it caused him to have a heart attack.
He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord, Lord.
John Henry died after his heart attack.
John Henry had a little woman.
John Henry had a wife.
Her name was Polly Ann.
His wife's name was Polly Ann.
John Henry took sick and went to his bed.
John Henry became sick and went to bed.
Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord, Lord.
His wife worked hard and did the work that John Henry would have done.
John Henry had a little baby.
John Henry had a child.
You could hold him in the palm of your Hand.
The child was small enough to fit in the hand.
The last words I heard that poor boy say,
The last words of John Henry's child.
"My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord, Lord.
The child spoke about their father and his hard work.
Well, every Monday morning
On every Monday morning.
When the bluebirds begin to sing.
When the bluebirds start singing.
You can hear John Henry a mile or more.
John Henry's work could be heard from far away.
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring.
The sound of John Henry's hammer can be heard ringing.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILLIAM LEE CONLEY BROONZY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Emilaremi
John Henry had a little woman
And the dress she wore was red
She walked down the track,
She never looked back
I'm going where John Henry fell dead
I'm going where John Henry fell dead
John Henry had another woman
And her name was Polly Anne
John Henry was taken sick
And he had to go to bed
Polly Anne drove steel like a man
Polly Anne drove steel like a man
John Henry told his little woman
Honey fix my supper soon
I got ninety-nine miles
Of track I wanna line back
I'm gonna line 'em by the light of the moon
I'm gonna line 'em by the light of the moon
John Henry said to his captain
You know a man ain't nothin' but a man
I'm bettin' right now you wont beat me down
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand
John Henry hammered in the mountain
Until his hammer caught on fire
The last word's I heard that the poor boy said
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
CoolioChicken
Man oh Man, do I love this song. I can't stop listening to it! I have the CD and I still went out of my way to listen to it here on Youtube! I am obsessed, and proud to be so.
Emilaremi
John Henry had a little woman
And the dress she wore was red
She walked down the track,
She never looked back
I'm going where John Henry fell dead
I'm going where John Henry fell dead
John Henry had another woman
And her name was Polly Anne
John Henry was taken sick
And he had to go to bed
Polly Anne drove steel like a man
Polly Anne drove steel like a man
John Henry told his little woman
Honey fix my supper soon
I got ninety-nine miles
Of track I wanna line back
I'm gonna line 'em by the light of the moon
I'm gonna line 'em by the light of the moon
John Henry said to his captain
You know a man ain't nothin' but a man
I'm bettin' right now you wont beat me down
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand
I'm gonna die with my hammer in my hand
John Henry hammered in the mountain
Until his hammer caught on fire
The last word's I heard that the poor boy said
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Artur Zap
rewelacja na mily wieczor
Karla nicol
lo amo 😍
Shine Shines
love this... Hugh Laurie is a very talented musicans. He did a documentary, Chasing the Bllues I believe was the name of it. He was in Luchenbach Tx in a pickin' cirlcle. He plays a guitar as well as he plays piano.
John Henry
Somebody I never meant or knew told me too listen to this today I have know idea why? I
Love it though
Sophie Morin
It was even better live :D
Howesenberg Films
Who else feels like dressing smartly just to sit in dive bar with a glass of whiskey?
Brett Kelley
Music like this demands drinking by the bottle.
James
God damn did not expect that voice