Jerry Reed – John Henry (Guitar)

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[Verse 1]
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When John Henry was a little baby boy

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Sittin' on his mammy's knee

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He picked up a hammer and a piece of cold road steel

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Said "Hammer gonna be the death of me, Mama,

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Hammer gonna be the death of me."

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Now John Henry had a little woman

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And her name was Polly Anne

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John Henry, he got sick and he had to go to bed

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But Polly drove that steel like a man

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Polly drove that steel like a man

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Now the Captain, he said to John Henry one day,

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"John, I think that mountain's caving in!"

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But Johnny just grinned up at his captain and said,

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"Haus, that ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin'

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just a little wind.

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Nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind."

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      John Henry, Lord, John Henry

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Now John Henry drove steel in the mountains

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And he drove steel all over this land

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Said, "Before I let a steam hammer get the best of me,

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Well I'll die with my hammer in my hand.

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Child, I'll die with my hammer in my hand."

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So big John Henry went down to the tunnel to drive

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Steam hammer by his side.

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Well he beat that big old drill to the end of the tunnel

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And then he laid down his hammer and he died,

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He laid down his hammer and he died.

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Well they took John Henry to the graveyard

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Stuck him six feet under the sand

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Every time that big old freight train goes

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chug-a-luggin' down

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They say, "Yonder lies a steel driving man.

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Yonder lies a steel driving man."

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      John Henry, Lord, John Henry