John Henry Songtext
von Merle Travis

When John Henry was just a little bitty boy
Sittin′ on his mammy's knee
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
Said, "It′s gonna be the death of me
It's gonna be the death of me"

When John Henry was a little bitty boy
No bigger than the palm of your hand
His mammy looked down at little Johnny and said
"Oh, Johnny gonna be a steel-drivin' man, Lord, Lord
Oh, Johnny gonna be a steel-drivin′ man"


Well, John Henry went to the tunnel to drive
Had a steam hammer by his side
Well, the mountain was so tall, John Henry was so small
That he laid down his hammer and he cried, "Lord, Lord"
He laid down his hammer and he cried

Now, John Henry said to the captain
Said, "Now, Captain, why don′t you pray?
If my hammer ever misses this little piece of steel
Tomorrow'll be your buryin′ day, Lord, Lord
Tomorrow'll be your buryin′ day"

Well, John Henry had a lovin' little wife
And her name, it was Polly Ann
John Henry got sick and he had to go to bed
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove steel like a man


Now, they buried poor Johnny in the graveyard
Laid him six feet down in the sand
And every time a freight train would "honk-honk" by
They′d say, "Yonder lays that steel-drivin' man, Lord, Lord
Yonder lays that steel-drivin' man"