John Henry Songtext
von Burl Ives

When John Henry was a little baby
A-sittin′ on his pappy's knee
He gave one long and lonesome cry
Said, "This hammer be the death of me"
Said, "This hammer be the death of me"

John Henry had a little woman
Her name was Mary Ann
When John Henry was sick and layin′ in bed
Mary drove steel like a man
Mary drove steel like a man

The captain said to John Henry
"Gonna bring me a steam drill round
Gonna take that steam drill out on the job
I'm gonna whup that steel on down
I'm gonna whup that steel on down"


The man that invented the steam drill
He thought he was mighty fine
John Henry drove a hundred and fifty feet
The steam drill a hundred and nine
The steam drill a hundred and nine

The captain said to John Henry
"I believe that mountain′s cavin′ in"
John Henry gave one long and lonesome cry
"Why, it's only my hammer suckin′ wind
That's only my hammer suckin′ wind"

Then the captain he said to John Henry
"John Henry, why don't you sing?
I′m a-throwin' twelve pounds from the hips on down
Listen to that cold steel ring
Listen to that cold steel ring"

John Henry was a-hammerin' on the mountain
And his hammer was a-strikin′ fire
He drove so hard that he broke his poor heart
And he laid down his hammer and he died
He laid down his hammer and he died


John Henry had another little woman
And the dress she wore was blue
The very last words she said to him
Was, "Honey, I′ve been true to you
Honey, I've been true to you"

"Then where did you get that dress, gal?
Where did you get those shoes so fine?"
"I got the dress from off a railroad man
And the shoes from a driver in the mine
The shoes from a driver in the mine"

They took John Henry to the white house
And they buried him ′neath the sand
And every locomotive come a-rollin' by
Said, "There lies a steel-drivin′ man
There lies a steel-drivin' man"