(The Murder Ballad of) John Henry

A man named John Henry
Working on the rails
Drove the steel faster
Than anyone could tell
But the boss man done hired
A strange new machine
Would put John Henry out of work
And starve his dear Eileen

The news down at the work camp
Made it's way around
The boss man said John Henry
My investment is sound
But if you want to keep your job
You better show me your worth
Beat that steam drill in a race
And I'll put back you to work

And so John Henry tipped his hat
With a hammer in his a hand
To show the boss man what it means
To be a steel driving man
Through the hours of 3 damn days
John Henry made his stand
To keep the union livin'
The boss man be damned

The clash of steel rang out
Into the dead of night
Everyone gone home
And hoped John'd be alright
In the morn came back to see
John Henry still drivin steel
And all the fuel done run out
Of that goddamn steam drill

And so John Henry tipped his hat
With a hammer in his a hand
To show the boss man what it means
To be a steel driving man
Through the hours of 3 damn days
John Henry made his stand
To keep the union livin'
The boss man be damned

When the winner was announced
John Henry did fall
Saw he was dead
And a tear shed by all
The boss man had a chuckle
Said "John you were made the fool"
"You can't stop progress" he said
As he filled the drill with fuel
The workers went home
To tell what they had seen
That poor John Henry
Were murdered by the company

And so John Henry tipped his hat
With a hammer in his a hand
To show the boss man what it means
To be a steel driving man
Through the hours of 3 damn days
John Henry made his stand
To keep the union livin'
The boss man be damned