No one in the area had seen Johnny in about eight years, but Fred had heard he was back in town. Three hours on a dirt road later, we pulled up to a dialpidated shack in a town called Senatobia and found Johnny Woods - whom I later found to be a cordial, gentle man, forty-something, one hell of a harp player - passed out on the front porch. Crammed inside the two-room house were fifteen or twenty men boisterously enjoying their Sunday afternoon, drinking and shooting craps. ''Hey. Shake 'Em, what you doing?'' they greeted Fred, who is best known in the area for his performance of ''Shake 'Em on Down''. When Fred stat down with his guitar and a bottleneck, everyone joined in. A couple of songs later, Woods dragged himself in, still in a haze so thick you could see it in his eyes. He started rummaging through his pockets for his harmonica, and when Fred launched into ''Shake 'Em on Down'', Johnny's shrill harmonica joined the whang of the guitar to make a sound powerful enough to bring the walls down. We arranged for Woods to meet us at Fred's house the following evening.
Woods never showed that night, so we spent the next few days trying to track him down. We finally found him at a barbeque, stopped behind a car sneaking a swig from a friend's bottle of corn. Woods agreed to go right then to a nearby house to record. It was hard to belive that these two men had not played together in eight years. No practice was necessary; there were no second takes. They sat facing each other while Fred gave Johnny instructions under his breath. The veins in Fred's face bulged as he sang and played, and the spit dropped from Johnny's harmonica which might as well have been a natural extension of his mouth. It is an honest of the greatest living blues men together, on tape, for you and the rest of the world to hear --- George Mitchell notes on the CD: Mississippi Fred McDowell & Johnny Woods - Mama Says I'm Crazy , 1967
John Henry
Mississippi Fred McDowell & Johnny Woods Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
appears on the album Mississippi Fred McDowell (1995).
John Henry was a steel-drivin'
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man
John Henry died, a hammer in his
John Henry died, a hammer in his
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man
John Henry, he said, just before he died
Lord, John Henry
Lord, John Henry said before he died
Lordy, two more roads he want to ride
Lord, he want
Oh Lord, he want
Lord, I got up one mornin', well, it looked like rain
Look around the curve, come a passenger train
Lord, John
Lord, John Henry said 'fore he died
Lordy, two more roads he want to ride
John Henry had a wife, dress she wore was red
Last word I heard her say, ""I'm goin' where Johnny fell dead.
Lord, I'm
Lord, I'm gwine
Lord, I'm
Lord, I'm goin', John Henry fell
Lord, I'm goin' John Henry
Lord, I'm goin' where John Hen
The song "John Henry" is a traditional folk ballad that tells the story of an African American railroad worker named John Henry who becomes famous for being the fastest and most powerful steel driver in the Southern United States. The song starts with the affirmation of John Henry's profession, "John Henry was a steel-drivin' man". The repeated statement of this line creates a rhythm that matches the sound of hammer hits in manual construction work. The next line, "John Henry died, a hammer in his hand", reveals that the song is a testimony to the man's extraordinary strength that became his downfall. The song then has a verse where John Henry muses about the afterlife and if he can continue to work in it, "...just before he died What are the two more roads that he want to ride Lord, John Henry Lord, John Henry said before he died Lordy, two more roads he want to ride". The song's final verses speaks of John Henry's wife and his legacy, "John Henry had a wife, dress she wore was red Last word I heard her say, ""I'm goin' where Johnny fell dead".
Line by Line Meaning
John Henry was a steel-drivin'
John Henry was a man who worked as a steel driver, using his hammer to drill holes into rock to make space for explosives.
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man
John Henry was known for his expertise and strength as a steel driver. He was a respected and hardworking individual in his profession.
John Henry died, a hammer in his
John Henry passed away while on the job, with his hammer in his hand. He worked until the very end of his life.
John Henry died, a hammer in his
John Henry passed away while on the job, with his hammer in his hand. He worked until the very end of his life.
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man
John Henry was known for his expertise and strength as a steel driver. He was a respected and hardworking individual in his profession.
John Henry, he said, just before he died
John Henry spoke his last words before he died. These words were very significant and memorable to those who heard them.
What are the two more roads that he want to ride
John Henry wanted to know about two more jobs he could complete before he passed away. Even in his last moments, he was focused on his work.
Lord, John Henry
This phrase serves as a way to start or end a statement about John Henry. It acknowledges his presence and importance in the story or song.
Lord, John Henry said before he died
John Henry spoke his last words before he passed away. His words were significant and memorable to those who heard them.
Lordy, two more roads he want to ride
John Henry wanted to know about two more jobs he could complete before he passed away. Even in his last moments, he was focused on his work.
Lord, he want
John Henry desired to complete more work before he passed away. It was a driving force behind much of what he did in life.
Oh Lord, he want
John Henry desired to complete more work before he passed away. It was a driving force behind much of what he did in life.
Lord, I got up one mornin', well, it looked like rain
The singer tells a story about waking up one morning to the sight of dark storm clouds gathering in the sky.
Look around the curve, come a passenger train
While the singer was observing the stormy weather, a passenger train suddenly appeared around the curve of the tracks.
Lord, John
This phrase serves as a way to start or end a statement about John Henry. It acknowledges his presence and importance in the story or song.
Lord, John Henry said 'fore he died
John Henry made a significant statement before he passed away. His last words were memorable to those who heard them.
Lordy, two more roads he want to ride
John Henry wanted to know about two more jobs he could complete before he passed away. Even in his last moments, he was focused on his work.
John Henry had a wife, dress she wore was red
John Henry had a wife who wore a red dress. This detail adds more depth to his personal life and background.
Last word I heard her say,
The singer recalls hearing John Henry's wife say something significant in the past. This adds more depth to the story and the characters involved.
"I'm goin' where Johnny fell dead.
John Henry's wife expresses her desire to visit the place where her husband passed away. This is a poignant moment in the story and highlights the emotional impact of John Henry's death.
Lord, I'm
This phrase serves as a way to start or end a statement about one's own intentions or actions. It acknowledges the writer or narrator's presence.
Lord, I'm gwine
The writer or narrator expresses their intention to go somewhere or do something. This is an important detail in the story or song.
Lord, I'm
This phrase serves as a way to start or end a statement about one's own intentions or actions. It acknowledges the writer or narrator's presence.
Lord, I'm goin', John Henry fell
The artist expresses their intention to visit the place where John Henry passed away. This is an emotional moment in the story that highlights the impact of John Henry's life and death.
Lord, I'm goin' John Henry
The singer reiterates their desire to visit the place where John Henry passed away. This shows the singer's connection to John Henry and their respect for him.
Lord, I'm goin' where John Hen
The singer is committed to visiting the place where John Henry passed away. This is an important detail in the story or song that shows the emotional impact of John Henry's life and death.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DP, Varl, B. Ey, L. Donegan, W. Whyton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind