John Henry
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee Lyrics

John Henry was about three days old,
When John Henry was just a baby of three days old,

Sittin' on his papa's knee.
He was sitting on his father's lap.

He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel;
John Henry picked up a hammer and a small piece of steel.

Said, "Hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord.
He said that the hammer will eventually lead to his death.

Hammer's gonna be the death of me."
And he repeated that the hammer will cause his death.

The captain said to John Henry
John Henry's boss, the captain, said to him

"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round.
That he is planning to use a steam drill on the job.

Gonna bring that steam drill out on the job.
He plans to use it while working.

Gonna whop that steel on down. Down,
And he will forcefully use the steam drill to break down the metal. Down,

Down. Whop that steel on down."
He repeated his intention to use the steam drill to break down the metal.

John Henry told his captain,
John Henry then replied to his boss,

"A man ain't nothin' but a man,
That a person is no different than any other being,

But before I let your steam drill beat me
But he will not let the steam drill best him

Down, I'd die with a hammer in my hand. Lord,
And would rather die holding his hammer. Lord,

Lord. I'd dies with a hammer in my hand."
He repeated that he would rather die holding his hammer.

John Henry said to his shaker,
John Henry then spoke to his partner,

"Shaker, why don't you sing?
He asked his partner to sing,

I'm throwin' thirty pounds from my hips on Down.
As he hammered, he swung his hammer with thirty pounds of force from his hips downward.

Just listen to that cold steel ring.
He tells his companion to listen to the sound of metal hitting metal.

Lord, Lord. Listen to that cold steel ring."
He repeats his request to listen to the sound of metal ringing.

The man that invented the stream drill
The inventor of the steam drill,

Thought he was mighty fine,
Who was quite proud of his invention,

But John Henry made fifteen feet;
But John Henry was able to drill fifteen feet into the mountain on his own,

The steam drill only made nine.
While the steam drill could only drill nine feet.

Lord, Lord. The steam drill only made nine."
He repeated the difference in how much they were able to drill.

John Henry hammered in the mountain
John Henry worked hard to drill through the mountain,

His hammer was striking fire.
And his hammer was causing sparks to fly.

But he worked so hard, he broke his poor Heart.
But he worked so hard that he ended up dying of a heart attack.

He laid down his hammer and he died. Lord,
John Henry then passed away, leaving behind his hammer. Lord,

Lord. He laid down his hammer and he died."
He repeated that John Henry passed away after working so hard.

John Henry had a little woman.
John Henry had a wife named Polly Ann.

Her name was Polly Ann.
Her name was Polly Ann.

John Henry took sick and went to his bed.
John Henry then fell ill and had to go to bed.

Polly Ann drove steel like a man. Lord,
But his wife, Polly Ann, was also working hard like a man. Lord,

Lord. Polly Ann drove steel like a man."
He repeated how his wife was working hard as well.

John Henry had a little baby.
John Henry and his wife had a baby.

You could hold him in the palm of your Hand.
Their baby was so small, you could hold it in your hand.

The last words I heard that poor boy say,
The baby's last words were heard saying,

"My daddy was steel-driving man. Lord,
That his father was a worker who drove steel. Lord,

Lord. My daddy was a steel-driving."
He then repeated the baby's words.

Well, every Monday morning
And finally, every Monday morning

When the bluebirds begin to sing.
When the bluebirds start to chirp.

You can hear John Henry a mile or more.
You can hear John Henry's memory from far away.

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring.
You can hear the sound of his hammer ringing.

Lord, Lord. You can hear John Henry's hammer ring."
And he repeats that you can hear the hammer still ringing.