John Henry
Reese Crenshaw Lyrics

John Henry was about three days old,
As a mere babe of three days old, John Henry sat on his father's knee.

Sittin' on his papa's knee.
The infant sat comfortably on his father's lap.

He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel;
To the amazement of those present, baby John Henry picked up a hammer and steel scrap.

Said, "Hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord.
John Henry revealed his own fate by prophetically declaring that he would meet his demise at the hands of a hammer.

The captain said to John Henry
John Henry's commanding officer addressed him.

"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round.
"I intend to introduce the steam drill to this construction site."

Gonna bring that steam drill out on the job.
The captain planned to deploy the steam drill to perform construction work.

Gonna whop that steel on down. Down, Down.
The drill's purpose was to pound steel into the ground, completing the task quickly and efficiently.

Whop that steel on down."
An order was given to commence the drilling process.

John Henry told his captain,
John Henry addressed his captain directly.

"A man ain't nothin' but a man,
"There is nothing more to a man than his own humanity,

But before I let your steam drill beat me
John Henry indicated that he would prefer dying to losing in a contest against the steam drill.

Down, I'd die with a hammer in my hand. Lord, Lord.
John Henry valued his occupation as a manual laborer above his own life.

John Henry said to his shaker,
John Henry conversed with his manual labor counterpart.

"Shaker, why don't you sing?
"Why don't you sing to keep us company while we work?

I'm throwin' thirty pounds from my hips on Down.
John Henry boasted to the shaker that he was capable of using his strength to their advantage.

Just listen to that cold steel ring. Lord, Lord.
John Henry used the sound of the moving steel as a testament to the hard work he was doing.

The man that invented the stream drill
John Henry's words now focused on the inventor of the steam drill.

Thought he was mighty fine,
John Henry pointed out the pride felt by the steam drill inventor.

But John Henry made fifteen feet;
John Henry's own strength and abilities greatly surpassed those of the steam drill during construction.

The steam drill only made nine. Lord, Lord.
The speed of the steam drill was no match for John Henry's manual labor.

John Henry hammered in the mountain
Describing his work in the tunnel, John Henry hammered away at the rocks.

His hammer was striking fire.
The intensity of John Henry's labor was so great that sparks flew from his hammer.

But he worked so hard, he broke his poor Heart.
The intensity of his labor proved far too much for his heart and he died as a result.

He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord, Lord.
John Henry's work killed him, and he was laid to rest alongside his hammer, which was his only legacy.

John Henry had a little woman.
John Henry was married.

Her name was Polly Ann.
His wife's name was Polly Ann.

John Henry took sick and went to his bed.
John Henry fell ill and was sent to bed.

Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord, Lord.
Despite being a woman, Polly Ann took up the hard physical labor of steel driving to support her family.

John Henry had a little baby.
John Henry was a father.

You could hold him in the palm of your Hand.
The child was so small, he could easily fit in someone's hand.

The last words I heard that poor boy say,
The final words that John Henry's son spoke are now recounted.

"My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord, Lord.
Even though his father had died, the boy was proud of the hardworking legacy John Henry left behind.

Well, every Monday morning When the bluebirds begin to sing.
Each week, as the workweek started, John Henry's presence was still felt.

You can hear John Henry a mile or more.
Even though he was no longer alive, John Henry's spirit lived on through the sounds of the mine and the work being done.

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring. Lord, Lord.
That familiar sound of the hammer striking steel could still be heard ringing through the mountains, a testament to the legacy of John Henry.