Take this hammer and carry it to the captain Tell him I'm gone Tell him I'm gone Tell him I'm gone Take this hammer and carry it to the captain Tell him I'm gone Just tell him I'm gone I'm sure I'm gone This is the hammer that killed John Henry But it won't kill me But it won't kill me Well, but it won't kill me This is the hammer that killed John Henry But it won't kill me But it won't kill me But it won't kill me It's a long ways from East Colorado Headed to my home Headed to my home Well, headed to my home Well, it's a long ways to East Colorado Headed to my home Headed to my home That's where I'm goin' John Henry, he left his hammer Layin' 'side the road Layin' 'side the road Layin' 'side the road John Henry, he left his hammer All over them rails All over them rails That's why I'm gone Now, John Henry was a steel-driving boy But he went down But he went down But he went down John Henry was a steel-driving boy But he went down But he went down But he went down Take this hammer and carry it to the captain Won't you tell him I'm gone Just tell him I'm gone I'm sure I'm gone