John Henry
PHABO Lyrics


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Henry gon' cut that wood
By any means, on bro by any means
And this shit means everything to me
Bink-bink, rusty railroad
It's no telling where it's going
Steaming, steaming
You the motive to my motor
Got me working harder than a locomotive, baby

I'm the hero 'round this bitch
You could save all that complaining
Plus you was saying that I'm a big
Fish in a small pond anyway
But I can't help it that I
Wanna help everybody before myself
We both know I'm the
Furthest thing from selfish i'm selfless

Moved to Hollywood, I got another on my arm
Hot pink wig
All that ass that she be throwin'
OnlyFans a make you reevaluate ya funds
I didn't make it big yet
Name ain't ring alarms
I played my latest record but
You wouldn't sing along
And they could sell a whole lie
You would half way believe it
I was tryna double tap
I guess yo' man said delete it
Y'all done been to hell and back
I guess the gas ain't depleted (Yeah)
I'll extend a custom cushion covered
Hand if you need it
(Most damaged, know what I'm sayin'?)
Now when they ask you who I am
You act as if you were the reason
Autobiographic how you documented
All my secrets, You a demon
But still I'm John Henry working
Hard in every season, Believe it

Henry gon' cut that wood
By any means, on bro by any means
And this shit means everything to me
Bink-bink, rusty railroad
It's no telling where it's going
Steaming, steaming
You the motive to my motor
Got me working harder than a locomotive, baby

I'm the hero 'round this bitch
You could save all that complaining
Plus you was saying that I'm a big
Fish in a small pond anyway
But I can't help it that I
Wanna help everybody before myself
We both know I'm the
Furthest thing from selfish i'm selfless

Henry gon' cut that wood
By any means, on bro by any means
And this shit means everything to me
Bink-bink, rusty railroad
It's no telling where it's going
Steaming, steaming
You the motive to my motor
Got me working harder than a locomotive, baby

I'm the hero 'round this bitch
You could save all that complaining
Plus you was saying that I'm a big
Fish in a small pond anyway
But I can't help it that I
Wanna help everybody before myself
We both know I'm the
Furthest thing from selfish i'm selfless

Beam phabo
The Homie phabo
LNF phabo

This what people need to understand
When you see us in the street in
A nice truck, the Ranges, the Benz's
Whatever vehicles we in
When we copped our houses
When we did all of that we did that off of
Hear-earned, side artist, grinding
Mixtape hustle




I'll get a verse for you here
I'll write this here for you on the low

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to PHABO's "John Henry" are about the importance of hard work and selflessness. The singer, John Henry, is determined to cut wood "by any means," and the chorus repeats the line "you the motive to my motor, got me working harder than a locomotive." Throughout the song, the lyrics touch on the idea that success comes from hard work and persistence, rather than simply luck or talent. The chorus also contains the line "this shit means everything to me," emphasizing the importance of pursuing one's goals and dreams to the fullest extent possible.


The verses go on to describe the challenges of pursuing a career in music, such as dealing with critics and doubters, and the importance of remaining committed in the face of adversity. The singer is depicted as a hero who wants to help others, even if it means putting his own needs last. The latter half of the song features a spoken-word monologue that addresses the idea of success and the value of hard work and determination.


Interestingly, the song references the legend of John Henry, a folk hero who was said to have won a contest against a steam-powered rock drilling machine by outworking it with his hammer. The story originated from the construction of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in the late 1800s and has been retold in many different iterations since then. The song may be using this legend as a metaphor for the value of hard work and determination.


Line by Line Meaning

Henry gon' cut that wood
I will do whatever it takes to achieve my goals.


By any means, on bro by any means
I am willing to go to extreme lengths to achieve my goals, even if it means breaking rules or taking risks.


And this shit means everything to me
My passion and dedication to my craft is my life's purpose.


Bink-bink, rusty railroad
Life is unpredictable, like a rusty railroad that could lead anywhere.


It's no telling where it's going
The future is uncertain, and anything can happen.


Steaming, steaming
I am unstoppable in my pursuit of success.


You the motive to my motor
My love and support for someone gives me the determination to keep going, no matter how hard things get.


Got me working harder than a locomotive, baby
I am putting in an immense amount of effort and hard work to achieve my goals.


I'm the hero 'round this bitch
I am the one who stands out and makes a difference.


You could save all that complaining
Stop complaining and instead focus on taking action to achieve your goals.


Plus you was saying that I'm a big
I am talented and successful, even in a small pond like my hometown.


Fish in a small pond anyway
I am someone who can thrive even in a small, limited environment.


But I can't help it that I
I have a natural inclination to help others before myself.


Wanna help everybody before myself
I prioritize the needs of others because it's part of who I am.


We both know I'm the
It's obvious that I am someone who is selfless and willing to help others.


Furthest thing from selfish I'm selfless
I am the opposite of someone who is selfish because I prioritize the needs of others.


Moved to Hollywood, I got another on my arm
I moved to Hollywood and have someone new in my life, possibly a romantic partner.


Hot pink wig
This person I'm with is wearing a bright pink wig, which may be symbolic of their unique style and personality.


All that ass that she be throwin'
This person is attractive and catches the attention of others.


OnlyFans a make you re-evaluate ya funds
The popular service OnlyFans can put a financial strain on people who choose to use it.


I didn't make it big yet
I haven't achieved mainstream success yet.


Name ain't ring alarms
My name doesn't immediately grab people's attention.


I played my latest record but
I shared my latest music with others, hoping to gain more recognition and success.


You wouldn't sing along
People didn't show much interest in my music or didn't connect with it emotionally.


And they could sell a whole lie
People are capable of believing a lie and accepting it as the truth.


You would halfway believe it
Even though a lie is being presented, some people may still be inclined to believe it.


I was tryna double tap
I was trying to show my appreciation or support for something online.


I guess yo' man said delete it
Someone may have asked me to delete a post or like on social media.


Y'all done been to hell and back
We have all been through difficult times and faced many challenges.


I guess the gas ain't depleted (Yeah)
Despite facing challenges, we are still pushing forward with energy and determination.


I'll extend a custom cushion covered
I am willing to offer my support and assistance, even when it is not expected.


Hand if you need it
I am offering my help and support to anyone who needs it.


Now when they ask you who I am
If someone asks you about me, you can speak positively about me.


You act as if you were the reason
Don't take credit for my success, as I am the one who achieved it.


Autobiographic how you documented
You wrote about my personal life and experiences without my permission.


All my secrets, You a demon
You are someone who betrayed my trust and wrote about my personal life without my consent.


But still I'm John Henry working
Despite facing obstacles and challenges, I am committed to working hard and achieving my goals.


Hard in every season, Believe it
I am dedicated to working hard and achieving success no matter what obstacles come my way.


Beam phabo
This is Phabo.


The Homie phabo
This is Phabo, your friend.


LNF phabo
Phabo is part of LNF, which is his crew or group.


This what people need to understand
It's important for people to recognize and acknowledge the hard work and dedication it took for me to achieve what I have.


When you see us in the street in
When people see us out in public, whether it be in a car or on foot.


A nice truck, the Ranges, the Benz's
We may be driving expensive and luxurious vehicles.


Whatever vehicles we in
No matter what vehicle we are driving, we worked hard to earn it.


When we copped our houses
When we bought our homes.


When we did all of that we did that off of
We were able to achieve our success through our own hard work and dedication.


Hear-earned, side artist, grinding
We worked hard as independent artists and grinded to get where we are now.


Mixtape hustle
We created and distributed mixtapes to gain recognition and build our fanbase.


I'll get a verse for you here
I am willing to collaborate with others and provide a verse for their music.


I'll write this here for you on the low
I am willing to provide assistance or support to others without attracting too much attention to myself.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALEXANDER BEN-ABDALLAH, MICHAEL FOSTER, PRINCE GRAHAM, SOULECTION RECORDS LLC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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