The Brothers Four are an American folk group founded in 1957 in Seattle, Wa… Read Full Bio ↴The Brothers Four are an American folk group founded in 1957 in Seattle, Washington. Bob Flick, John Paine, Mike Kirkland, and Dick Foley met at the University of Washington, where they were members of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity in 1956. Their first professional performances were the result of a prank played on them in 1958 by a rival fraternity, who had arranged for someone to call them, pretend to be from Seattle's Colony Club, and invite them to come down to audition for a gig. Even though they were not expected at the club, they were allowed to sing a few songs anyway, and were subsequently hired. Flick recalls them being paid "mostly in beer."

They left for San Francisco in 1959, where they met Mort Lewis, Dave Brubeck's manager. Lewis became their manager and later that year secured them a contract with Columbia Records. Their second single, "Greenfields," released in January 1960, hit #2 on the pop charts, and their first album, Brothers Four, released toward the end of the year, made the top 20. Other highlights of their early career included singing their fourth single, "The Green Leaves of Summer," from the John Wayne movie The Alamo, at the 1961 Academy Awards, and having their second album, BMOC/Best Music On/Off Campus, go top 10. They also recorded the theme song for the ABC television series Hootenanny, "Hootenanny Saturday Night," in 1963.

The British Invasion and the ascendance of such folk musicians as Bob Dylan put an end to the Brothers Four's early period of success, but they kept performing and making records, doing particularly well in Japan and on the American hotel circuit.

The band attempted a comeback by recording a highly commercial version of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man." But the band was unable to release it because of licensing issues, and The Byrds eventually stole their thunder by releasing their heralded version.

Mike Kirkland left the group in 1969, and was replaced by Mark Pearson, another University of Washington alumnus. In 1971, Pearson left and was replaced by Bob Haworth, who stayed until 1989 and was replaced by a returning Pearson. Dick Foley left the group in 1990 and was replaced by Terry Lauber. Despite all the changes and having spent 47 years in the business, the group is still active today (2004).

My Little John Henry
The Brothers Four Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was early one mornin'
And it looked like ra-a-ain
When around that curve, boy,
I spied a gravel train.
Oh, my little John Henry--
He got a mighty know.
Oh, my little John Henry--
He got a mighty know.

I got a woman in Dallas--
Work at the Baker Hotel--
Some folks call her Maggie,
Real name is Katie Bell.
Oh, my little John Henry--
He got a mighty know.
Oh, my little John Henry--
He got a mighty know.

It was early one mornin'(it was early one mornin')
And it looked like ra-a-ain (oh, it looked like rain)
When around that curve, boy,
I spied a gravel train.
Oh, my little John Henry--
He got a mighty know.
I said, my little John Henry--
He got a mighty know.
He got a mighty know.

He got a mighty know.
He got a mighty, mighty know.

Overall Meaning

The Brothers Four's song "My Little John Henry" tells the story of two men, one named John Henry and the other a narrator who has a woman waiting for him in Dallas. As they work on a railroad construction site, the singer witnesses John Henry's incredible strength and determination as he competes against a gravel train. John Henry's impressive abilities are further emphasized through the repetition of the phrase "He got a mighty know," highlighting his skill and talent.

However, amidst the excitement of the competition, the singer also reveals his own personal life through a brief mention of his lover. This contrast between the singer's everyday life and John Henry's extraordinary abilities creates a sense of awe and admiration for the legendary character. The imagery of the rain and the curve of the train track also add to the story's atmosphere, evoking a sense of danger and tension.

Overall, "My Little John Henry" is a tribute to the folk hero who embodied strength, resilience, and bravery in the face of adversity.

Line by Line Meaning

It was early one mornin'
The events described in this song occurred early in the morning.

And it looked like ra-a-ain
It appeared that it was going to rain that day.

When around that curve, boy,
While going around a curve in the road,

I spied a gravel train.
I saw a train carrying gravel on the tracks.

Oh, my little John Henry--
This is a reference to the man known as John Henry.

He got a mighty know.
John Henry was known for his strength and skill.

I got a woman in Dallas--
The singer talks about having a woman in Dallas.

Work at the Baker Hotel--
She works at the Baker Hotel.

Some folks call her Maggie,
Some people refer to her as Maggie.

Real name is Katie Bell.
Her actual name is Katie Bell.