John Henry (Live at Carnegie Hall, April 1959)

John Henry, he could hammer
He could whistle, he could sing
Went to the mountain early in the mornin'
Just to hear his hammer ring, Lord, Lord
Just to hear his hammer ring
Just to hear his hammer ring, Lord, Lord
Just to hear his hammer ring

When John Henry was a little baby
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
Picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
Said, "Hammer be the death of me, Lord, God
Yes, hammer be the death of me
Yes, hammer be the death of me, Lord, Lord
Yes, hammer be the death of me"

When John Henry's family needed money
Said, "He didn't have but a dime
If you wait 'til the red sun goes down
I'll get it from the man in the mine, Lord, Lord
I'll get it from the man in the mine
I'll get it from the man in the mine, Lord, Lord
I'll get it from the man in the mine"

Well, the captain said to John Henry
John Henry, "What can you do?"
I can hoist a jack, I can lay a track
I can pick and shovel too, Lord, Lord
I can pick and shovel too
I can pick and shovel too, Lord, Lord
I can pick and shovel too

Well, John Henry said to the captain
Oh, a man ain't nothin' but a man
'Fore I'd let your steam drill beat me down
Well, I'd die with the my hammer in my hand, Lord, God
I'll die with my hammer in my hand
Yes, I'll die with the my hammer in my hand Lord, Lord
I'll die with my hammer in my hand

Well, the captain said to John Henry
I'm gonna bring me a steam drill 'round
Gon' bring me a steam drill out on the job
Gon' whup that steel on down, Lord, Lord
Gon' whup that steel on down
I gon' whoop that steel on down, Lord, Lord
I gon' whoop that steel on down

Well, John Henry said to his shaker
"Shaker, why don't you sing?"
Throwin' 15 pounds from my hips on down
Listen to the cold steel ring, Lord, Lord, yes
Listen to the cold steel ring
Oh, listen to the cold steel ring, Lord, Lord
Won't you listen to the cold steel ring

Well, the man who invented the steamdrill
Thought he was mighty fine
John Henry made his 15 feet
And the steamdriller only made 9, Lord, Lord
Steamdriller only made 9
Yes, the steamdriller only made 9, Lord, Lord
The steamdriller only made 9

Well, the captain said to John Henry
"How your mountain sinking in?"
And John Henry said to the captain
"Oh, mine, nothing but my hammer suckin' wind, Lord, Lord
Nothing but my hammer suckin' wind
Ain't nothing but my hammer suckin' wind, Lord, Lord
Ain't nothing but my hammer suckin' wind"

Well, John Henry said to the captain
"Looka yonder what I see
Hole done choke, you're drill done broke
And you can't drive steel like me, Lord, Lord
Can't drive steel like me
Oh no, you can't drive steel like me, no no
You can't drive steel like me"

Well, John Henry drove into the mountain
Yes, his hammer was strikin' fire
He drove so hard he broke his poor heart
When he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord
Laid down his hammer and he died
Yes, he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord
He laid down his hammer and he died

Well, John Henry had a little woman
And the name was Polly Ann
She walked down the track, never looked back
Polly Ann drove still like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly Ann drove still like a man
Polly Ann drove still like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly Ann drove still like a man

Oh, the people took John Henry to the White House
And they buried him in the sand
Every locomotive come roarin' by
Says there lies a steel drivin' man, Lord, God
Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man
Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man, hoo-hee
There lies a steel drivin' man
Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man, Lord, Lord
Yes, there lies a steel drivin' man