John Henry Songtext
von Doc Watson

John Henry was a steel-driving man
Roasted all over the land
And he said, "Fool, I′ll let that old steam drill beat me down
I'll die with my hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
Die with my hammer in my hand"
Now, the man that played that old steam drill
He thought it mighty fine
But John Henry drove it down fourteen feet
While that steam drill only made it nine, Lord, Lord
Steam drill only made it nine
John Henry, his captain, he sat down on a rock
Said, "I think this tunnel′s falling in"
Then John Henry smiled at his captain and he said
"Now, boss, that's my hammer sucking wind, Lord, Lord
Boss, that's my hammer sucking wind"


John Henry, he had a sweet little woman
Her name was Polly Ann
And while John, he was sick and he lay down on his bed
Little Polly drove that steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove that steel like a man
John Henry hammered in the mountainside
′Til his hammer caught on fire
And the last words that poor John Henry said
"Gimme a cool drink of water ′fore I die, Lord, Lord
Cool drink of water 'fore I die"
They took John Henry to the graveyard
Six feet under the sand
And every time a freight train would come a-rolling by
They′d say, "Yonder lies a steel-driving man, Lord, Lord
Yonder lies a steel-driving man"