Lyrics
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"