John Henry

John Henry - Harry Belafonte

John Henry he could hammer

He could whistle he could sing

He went to the mountain early in the morning

Just to hear his hammer ring Lord Lord

Hear hear his hammer ring

Just to hear his hammer ring Lord Lord

Hear hear his hammer ring

When John Henry was a little baby

Sitting on his daddy's knee

He picked up a hammer a little piece of steel

Said hammer be the death of me Lord Lord

Said 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 till 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 happened

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

I wanna bring me a steam drill around

Wannna bring me a steam drill out on the job

Wannna whup that steel on down Lord Lord

What that steel on down

But John Henry said to the captain

Oh a man ain't nothing but a man

For 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

Looka 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 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 striking 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 roaring by

Says there lies a steel driving man Lord Lord

There lies a steel driving man

Says there lies a steel driving man

There lies a steel driving man

Says there lies a steel driving man Lord Lord

There lies a steel driving man