John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
He said, "'Fore the sheriff 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 Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies,
John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times
The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money,
He said, I'll pay you quarter at a time startin' tomorrow
That's 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 and shovel too
(Can you swing a hammer boy?)
Yes, Sir, I?ll do anything you hire me to.

Now ain't you something! So high and mighty wif' your muscles!
Just go ahead, boy, and 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 handle,
John Henry raised it back 'til it touched his heels. Then
The spike went through the cross tie, and it split it half in two.
Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel.
(Sweat! 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 a 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 laughin' at John Henry.
Said, You full of vinegar now, but you about through!
We gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin?,
Then what's 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 sister's walking on her knees.
Did the lord say that machines aughtta take the place of living?
And what's a substitute for bread and beans? (I saint seen it)
Do engines get rewarded for their steam

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