John Henry went up on the mountain
You know that mountain it was so high
John Henry he laid down his hammer an' cried
Captain, a ten pound maul is too small
A ten pound maul is too small
Well, John Henry's captain tol' him
I have a power steel driver down home
John Henry, if you beat that power driver down
Goin' to buy you a railroad of your own
Goin' to buy you a railroad of your own
John Henry tol' his captain
He says, a man ain't nothin' but a man
'Fore I will stand to see your power driver beat me down
Would die with my hammer in my hand
I would die with my hammer in my hand
Well, the people all hear my rumblin'
Like a train comin' down the track
John Henry throwed his hammer on the groun' an laughed
The echo from my hammer comin' back
That's the echo from my hammer comin' back
John Henry had a buddy
Said, Buddy, why ain't you takin' yo' time?
John Henry drilled down eighteen spikes
While his buddy was only drivin' down nine
While his buddy was only drivin' down nine
John Henry tol' his shaker
He said, my shaker, you'd better pray
If I misses this steel on the deal goin' down
Tomorrow be yo' buryin' day
You know tomorrow be yo' buryin' day
Well, John Henry tol' his captain
Said, just bring yo' steam driver down here
An' befo' I let yo' steam driver beat me down
Gon' die with my hammer in the wind
Gon' die with my hammer in the wind
John Henry he had a little woman
An' her name was Polly Ann
John Henry taken sick an' he had to go to bed
Polly Ann drilled steel like a man
Oh, Polly Ann drove steel like a man