The Legend of John Henry's Hammer

The Legend of John Henry's Hammer - Jonny Cash

John Henry's Papy woke him up one midnight

He said before the serrif comes i wanna tell you listen boy

Said learn to ball a jack learn to lay a track

Learn to pick and shovel too and take my hammer

It'll do anything you tell it to

John Hery's mammie had about a dozen babies

John Henry's papie told tale about a dozen times

The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money

He siad i'll pay you quarter at a time sartin tommorow

Thats the pay for a steel driver on this line

Then the section foreman said hey hammer swinger

I see you brought you own hammer boy but what else can all those muscles do

And he said I can turn a jack i can lay a track i can pick a shovel too

I can i'll do anything oyu hire me to

Now aint you something so high and mighty with your muscles

Just go ahead pick up that hammer pick up the hammer

He said get a rusty spike and swing it down three times

I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to

Go on and do what you say you can do

With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch panel

John Henry raised it back till it touched his heels

Then the spike went through the cross tie and it split it half in two

35 cents a fay for driven steel

(sewat sweat boy sweat you owe me two more swings)

I was born for driven steel

Well John Henry hammered in the mountain

He'd give a grunt and he'd give groan with every swing

The women folks for miles around heard him and come down

To watch him make the cold steel ring lord what a swinger

Just listen to that cold steel ring

But the bad boss come up laguhing at John Henry

Said you full of vinegar now but you bout through

Were gona get a steam drill to do your share of driven

Then whats all them muscles gonna do huh John Henry

Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you

John Henry said i feed four little brothers

And baby sisters walking on her knees

Did the lord say that machines awtta take the place of living

And whats a subsitute for bread and beans i saint seen it

Do engines get rewarded for their steam

John Henry said to his captain

A man aint nothin but a man

But if you bring that steam drill round

I'll beat it fair and honest i'll die with my hammer in my hand

But i'll be laughing cuz you cant replace a steel driven man

There was a big crowd of people at the mountain

John henry said to the steam drill how is you

Pardon me mister steam drill i suppose you didnt hear me

I said how you

Well can you turn a jack

Can you lay a track

can you pick and shovel too

Listen this hammer swingers talkin to you

Shu shu shu shu shu shu shu shu

2000 people hollered go John Henry

Then somebody hollered the mountains caving in

John Henry told the captain

Thell the kind fols not to worry

That aint nothin but my hammer suckin wind

Keeps me breathing a steel drivers muscle i intend

Captain tell the people move back further

I'm at the finish line and i aint no drill

Shes so far behind you aint got the brains to quit it

When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills

Lord lordy when she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills

Well John Henry had a little woman

I believe the lady's name was polly ann

Yeah that was his good woman

John henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home

And early next morining he said come here polly ann come here sugar

Ya know i believe this is the first time i ever watched the sun come up

That i couldnt come up

Take my hammer polly ann and go to that rail road

And when your swinging with the lead men

But tell them thats not all i can do

Tell em i can hoist a jack and i can lay a track i can pick and shovel too

Aint no machine can thats been proved to you

There was a big crowd of moarners at the church house

The section hands laid him in the sand

Trains go by on the rails john henry laid

They slow down and take off their hats the men do

When they come to the palce John Henrys laid rests on his back

Some say mornin steel driver you sure were a hammer swinger

Then they go along pickin up speed clikty clak clikty clak

Down there lies a steel driven man oh lord down there lies a steel driven man

Down there lies a steel driven man oh lord down there lies a steel driven man

Down there lies