John Henry Lyrics
John Henry - Harry Belafonte
John henry he could hammer
He could whistle he could sing
He went to the mountain early in the mornin'
Just to hear his hammer ring lord lord
Hear his hammer ring
Just to hear his hammer ring lord lord
Hear his hammer ring
When john henry was a little baby
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
He picked up a hammer a little piece of steel
Said hammer be the death of me lord lord
Hammer be the death of me
When john henry's fam'ly needed money
Said he didn't have but a dime
If you wait 'til the red sun goes down
I'll get it from the man in the mine lord lord
Get it from the man in the mine
I'll get it from the man in the mine lord lord
Get it from the man in the mine
Well john henry went to the captain
What happy
Said the captain what can you do
I can hoist a jack I can lay a track
I can pick and shovel too lord lord
Pick and shovel too
I can pick and shovel too lord lord
Pick and shovel too
Well the captain said to john henry
Gonna bring me a steam drill 'round
Gonna bring me a steam drill out on the job
Gonna whup that steel on down lord lord
Whup that steel on down
But henry said to the captain
Oh a man ain't nothin' but a man
'Fore I'd let your steam drill beat me down
I'd die with my hammer in my hand lord lord
Die with my hammer in my hand
Well john henry said to the captain
Look a yonder what I see
Hole done choke drill done broke
And you can't drive steel like me lord lord
Can't drive steel like me
Oh no you can't drive steel like me no no
Can't drive steel like me
Well john henry drove into the mountain
His hammer was strikin' fire
He drove so hard he broke his poor heart
And he laid down his hammer and he died lord lord
Laid down his hammer and he died
Laid down his hammer and he died great god
Laid down his hammer and he died
Oh they took john henry to the white house
And they buried him in the sand
Every locomotive come roarin' by
Says there lies a steel drivin' man lord lord
There lies a steel drivin' man
Says there lies a steel drivin' man
There lies a steel drivin' man
Says there lies a steel drivin' man lord lord
There lies a steel drivin' man