The Switch

Big John big John

Every mornin' at the mine you could see him arrive

He stood six foot six and weighed two forty five

Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip

And everybody knew ya didn't give no lip to big John

Big John big John

Big bad John

Big John

Nobody seemed to know where John called home

He just drifted into town and stayed all alone

He didn't say much kinda quiet and shy

And if you spoke at all you just said hi to Big John

Somebody said he came from New Orleans

Where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen

And a crashin' blow from a huge right hand

Sent a Louisiana fellow to the promised land big John

Big John big John

Big bad John

Big John

Then came the day at the bottom of the mine

When a timber cracked and men started cryin'

Miners were prayin' and hearts beat fast

And everybody thought that they'd breathed their last 'cept John

Through the dust and the smoke of this man made hell

Walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well

Grabbed a saggin' timber gave out with a groan

And like a giant oak tree he just stood there alone big John

Big John big John

Big bad John

Big John

And with all of his strength he gave a mighty shove

Then a miner yelled out there's a light up above

And twenty men scrambled from a would be grave

Now there's only one left down there to save big John

With jacks and timbers they started back down

Then came that rumble way down in the ground

And then smoke and gas belched out of that mine

Everybody knew it was the end of the line for big John

Big John big John

Big bad John

Big John

Now they never reopened that worthless pit

They just placed a marble stand in front of it

These few words are written on that stand

At the bottom of this mine lies a big big man

Big John

Big John big John

Big bad John

Big John

Big John

Big bad John