The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer

John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
He said Fore the sheriff comes
I wanna tell you listen boy
Said Learn to ball a jack
Learn to lay a track
Learn to pick
And shovel too
And take my hammer
It'll do anything you tell it to
John Henry's mammy had
About a dozen babies
John Henry's pappy broke jail
About a dozen times
The babies all got sick
And when the doctor wanted money
He said I'll pay you a quarter
At a time startin' tomorrow
That's the pay for a steel driver
On this line
Then the section foreman
Said Hey hammer swinger
I see you brought your own hammer boy
But what else can all those muscles do
And he said
I can turn a jack
I can lay a track
I can pick and shovel too
Can you swing a hammer boy
Yes sir I'll do anything you hire me to
Now ain't you somethin'
So high and mighty wif your muscles
Just go ahead boy and pick up that hammer
Pick up the hammer
He said Get a rusty spike
And swing it down three times
I'll pay you a nickel a day
For every inch you sink it to
Go on and do what you say you can do
With a steep nose hammer
On a four foot switch handle
John Henry raised it back 'til
It touched his heels then
The spike went through the cross tie
And it split it half in two
Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel
Sweat sweat boy
Sweat you owe me two more swings
I was born for driven steel
Well John Henry hammered in the mountain
He'd give a grunt he'd give a groan
With every swing
The women folks for miles around heard him
And come down
To watch him make the cold steel ring Lord
What a swinger
Just listen to that cold steel ring
But the bad boss come up laughin' at John Henry
Said You full of vinegar now
But you about through
We gonna get a steam drill to do
Your share of drivin'
Then what's all them muscles gonna do
Huh John Henry
Gonna take a little bit of vinegar
Out of you
John Henry said I feed four little brothers
And baby sister's walkin' on her knees
Did the Lord say that
Machines oughtta take the place of livin'
And what's a substitute for bread and beans
I ain't seen it
Do engines get rewarded for their steam
John Henry hid in a coal mine
For his dinner nap
Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell
The mine boss hollered Get up
Whoever you are and get a pick axe
Give me enough coal to start another hell
And keep it burnin'
Mine me enough to start another hell
John Henry said to his captain
A man ain't nothin' but a man
But if you'll bring that steam drill round
I'll beat it fair and honest
I'll die with my hammer in my hand
But I'll be laughin'
'Cuz you can't replace a steel drivin' man
There was a big crowd of people
At the mountain
John Henry said to the steam drill
How is you
Pardon me mister steam drill
I suppose you didn't hear me
I said How're you
Well can you turn a jack can you lay a track
Can you pick and shovel too
Listen this hammer swinger's talkin' to you
Two thousand people hollered Go John Henry
Then somebody hollered The mountain's caving in
John Henry told the captain
Tell the kind folks don't worry
That ain't nothin'
But my hammer suckin' wind it
Keeps me breathin'
A steel driver's muscle I intend
Captain tell the people move back further
I'm at the finish line
And there ain't no drill
It's so far behind
But yet ain't got the brains to quit it
When she blows up
She'll scatter 'cross the hills Lord lordy
When she blows up
She'll scatter 'cross the hills
Well John Henry had a little woman
I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann
Yeah that was his good woman
John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder
And went on home
He laid down to rest his weary back
And early next mornin'
He said Come here Polly Ann come here sugar
Ya know I believe this is the first time
I ever watched
The sun come up that I couldn't come up
Take my hammer Polly Ann
And go to that railroad
Swing that hammer like you seen me do it
And when you're swingin' with the lead man
They'll all know
They'll all know you're John Henry's woman
But but tell them ain't all you can do
Tell 'em I can hoist a jack
And I can lay a track
I can pick
And shovel too ain't no machine can
That's been proved to you
There was a big crowd of mourners
At the church house
The section hands laid him in the sand
Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid
They slow down
And take off their hats the men do
When they come to the place
Where John Henry's layin'
Restin' his back some of 'em
Say Mornin' steel driver
You sure was a hammer swinger
Then they go on by pickin' up
A little speed
Clickity clack
Clickity clack
Clickity clack
Clickity clack
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord
Yonder lies a steel drivin' man