Brownie McGhee was born in Kingsport, Tennessee and suffered from polio as a child, which incapacitated his leg. He spent much of his youth immersed in music, singing with local harmony group (the Golden Voices Gospel Quartet) and teaching himself the guitar. His real success did not come until his 1942 relocation to New York City, where he was teamed up with Sonny Terry. The pairing was an overnight success, recording and touring extensively until the early 1970s.
Saunders Terrell, better known as Sonny Terry, was a blues musician. He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina on October 24, 1911, and died on March 11, 1986 in Mineola, New York. He was most widely known for his energetic blues harmonica style which frequently included vocal whoops and hollers, and imitations of trains and fox hunts.
The pair recorded numerous tracks together. The duo became well-known, even among white audiences, as they joined the growing folk movement of the 1950s and '60s. This included collaborations with Woody Guthrie and Moses Asch, producing Folkways Records (now Smithsonian/Folkways) classic recordings.
Despite their fame as "pure" folk artists, in the 1940s, Sonny and Brownie fronted a jump blues combo with honking saxophone that was variously called Brownie McGhee and his Jook House Rockers or Sonny Terry and his Buckshot Five.
John Henry
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee 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 lyrics to Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee's song "John Henry" tell the story of the legendary African American folk hero who worked as a "steel-driver" on the Transcontinental Railroad in the late 19th century. John Henry was known for his prowess as a hammer-wielding, steel-driving man who was determined to do his job better than any other man or machine. The song begins with John Henry as a baby, holding a hammer and a piece of steel, foreshadowing his eventual career as a steel-driver. The captain of the railroad brings a steam drill on the job, intending to replace the manual labor of men like John Henry. But John Henry is determined to prove his strength and skill, and he challenges the steam drill to a race.
John Henry's defiance and determination are central themes of the song. He believes that a man with a hammer is just as powerful as any machine, and he is determined to prove it. His iconic last words, "I'd die with a hammer in my hand," demonstrate his unwavering commitment to his job and his belief that a man's worth is defined by his work ethic. Despite his eventual death, John Henry's legacy lives on in songs, literature, and films, as a symbol of the strength and resilience of the African American spirit.
Line by Line Meaning
John Henry was about three days old,
John Henry is told to be only three days old when he sat on his dad's lap.
Sittin' on his papa's knee.
He is sitting on his dad's knee.
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 predicts that the hammer would cause his death.
Hammer's gonna be the death of me."
He repeats that hammer would be the cause of his death.
The captain said to John Henry
The captain talks to John Henry.
"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round.
The captain plans to bring a steam drill.
Gonna bring that steam drill out on the job.
The steam drill will be used on the job site.
Gonna whop that steel on down. Down,
The steam drill will beat down the steel.
Down.
Repeats the previous line.
Whop that steel on down."
Reiterates that the steam drill will beat down the steel.
John Henry told his captain,
John Henry responds to the captain.
"A man ain't nothin' but a man,
He asserts that human beings are just human beings.
But before I let your steam drill beat me
He would not let the steam drill defeat him.
Down,
Repeats the previous line.
I'd die with a hammer in my hand.
John Henry would rather die with his hammer than be beaten by a steam drill.
Lord, Lord.
Reiteration for emphasis and emotion.
I'd dies with a hammer in my hand."
Reiterates that he would die with his hammer rather than be beaten by a steam drill.
John Henry said to his shaker,
John Henry speaks to his 'shaker'.
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
He asks his associate to sing.
I'm throwin' thirty pounds from my hips on
John Henry is hitting 30 pounds from his hips downward.
Down.
Repeats the previous line.
Just listen to that cold steel ring. Lord, Lord.
Listen to the steel ring, expressing an intense focus and commitment.
Listen to that cold steel ring."
Reiterates how he hits the steel to make it ring.
The man that invented the stream drill
The inventor of the steam drill.
Thought he was mighty fine,
The inventor thought that he was superior.
But John Henry made fifteen feet;
John Henry made 15 feet of progress.
The steam drill only made nine. Lord, Lord.
The steam drill only made 9 feet of progress.
The steam drill only made nine."
Reiterates how the steam drill only made nine feet of progress.
John Henry hammered in the mountain
John Henry worked in the mountains.
His hammer was striking fire.
His hammer struck the metal so hard that it caused sparks.
But he worked so hard, he broke his poor
John Henry worked to the point of exhaustion.
Heart.
His heart gave out.
He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord,
He died while he held his hammer.
Lord.
Reiteration for emphasis and emotion.
He laid down his hammer and he died."
Reiterates that he died while holding his hammer.
John Henry had a little woman.
John Henry had a wife.
Her name was Polly Ann.
Her name was Polly Ann.
John Henry took sick and went to his bed.
John Henry got sick and went to bed.
Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord,
John Henry's wife worked like a man.
Lord.
Reiteration for emphasis and emotion.
Polly Ann drove steel like a man."
Reiterates that John Henry's wife worked like a man.
John Henry had a little baby.
John Henry had a child.
You could hold him in the palm of your
The baby was small enough to hold in one's hands.
Hand.
Reiterating how small the baby was.
The last words I heard that poor boy say,
The last words the child spoke.
"My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord,
The child expressed pride in his father's work.
Lord.
Reiteration for emphasis and emotion.
My daddy was a steel-driving."
Reiterates how the child spoke of his father's work.
Well, every Monday morning
On every Monday morning.
When the bluebirds begin to sing.
When bluebirds start singing.
You can hear John Henry a mile or more.
John Henry's presence is still felt even from a distance.
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring.
The sound of John Henry's hammer still echoes through time.
Lord, Lord.
Reiteration for emphasis and emotion.
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring."
Reiterates how the sound of John Henry's hammer can still be heard.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: J BAIRD, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bikersoncall
All of this is great, voices, playing, awesome.
That guitar work is fantastic.
@levimust4479
These guys were tops. They played together to create one seamless sound, even though they didn't talk to each other. Astonishing rhythm. I was lucky to get to see them play at least half dozen times. I remember Sonny Terry wore some shiny gold rings that dazzled in the bright stage lights as he blew - totally mesmerizing. ...Just give me a cool drink of water before I die...
@kennychaffin4578
Maybe everyone has done it, but no one has ever done it like these two!!
@canilserradacanastra5453
I love to hear these guys... Very powerful songs...
@ideclareworldpeace
Best performance of John Henry I think I have ever heard.
@farshimelt
My girlfriend and I opened for Sonny & Brownie at the Ash Grove, in L.A. After their set we went backstage to meet them. Sonny looked at my girl and said, "My, my, you sure are pretty." She responded, "I thought you were blind." Sonny said, "I ain't that blind."
@Funz2022
That harmony Brownie's singing is old-timey beauty!
@ninjavigilante5311
His back up vocals were fire
@sriley6540
they both got beautiful tonality to there voice but ya know the sound of sonny's voice well and brownie's just make me wanna cry these guys are the best no doubt
@johnjones6176
57k views. I feel like 1k of these are from me. Love this performance and I will always come back to listen. Amazing.