John Henry

John Henry was a li'l baby, uh-huh Sittin' on his mama's knee, oh, yeah, Said: "De Big Bend Tunnel on de C & O road Gonna cause de death of me Lawd, Lawd. Gonna cause de death of me John Henry, he had a woman Her name was Mary Magdalene She would go to de tunnel and sing for John Jes' to hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lawd, Lawd Jes' to hear John Henry's hammer ring John Henry had a li'l woman Her name was Lucy Ann John Henry took sick an' had to go to bed Lucy Ann drove steel like a man Lawd, Lawd, Lucy Ann drove steel like a man Cap'n says to John Henry Gonna bring me a steam drill 'round Gonna take dat steam drill out on de job Gonna whop dat steel on down, Lawd, Lawd Gonna whop dat steel on down John Henry tol' his cap'n Lightnin' was in his eye Cap'n, bet yo' las' red cent on me Fo' I'll beat it to de bottom or I'll die, Lawd, Law I'll beat it to de bottom or I'll die Sun shine hot an' burnin' Wer'n't no breeze a-tall Sweat ran down like water down a hill Dat day John Henry let his hammer fall Lawd, Lawd, dat day John Henry let his hammer fall John Henry went to de tunnel An' dey put him in de lead to drive De rock so tall an' John Henry so small Dat he lied down his hammer an' he cried Lawd, Lawd, dat he lied down his hammer an' he cried John Henry started out on de right hand De steam drill started on de lef "Before I 'd let dis steam drill beat me down I'd hammer my fool self to death Lawd, Lawd, I'd hammer my fool self to death" White man tol' John Henry "Nigger, damn yo' soul You might beat dis steam an' dr;ll of mine When de rocks in dis mountain turn to gol' Lawd, Lawd, when de rocks in dis mountain turn to gol' John Henry said to his shaker "Nigger, why don' you sing? I'm throwin' twelve poun's from my hips on down Jes' listen to de col' steel ring Lawd, Lawd, Jes' listen to de col' steel ring" Oh, de captain said to John Henry "I b'lieve this mountain's sinkin' in John Henry said to his captain, oh my! "Ain' nothin' but my hammer suckin' win' Lawd, Lawd, ain' nothln' but my hammer suckin' win" John Henry tol' his shaker Shaker, you better pray For if I miss dis six-foot steel Tomorrow'll be yo' buryin' day Lawd, Lawd, tomorrow'll be yo' buryin' day" John Henry tol' his captain "Looka yonder what l see Yo' drill's done broke an' yo' hole's done choke An' you cain' drive steel like me Lawd, Lawd, an' you cain' drive steel like me" De man dat invented de steam drill Thought he was mighty fine John Henry drove his fifteen feet An' de steam drill only made nine Lawd, Lawd, an' de steam drill only made nine De hammer dat John Henry swung' It weighed over nine pound He broke a rib in his lef'-han' side An' his intrels fell on de groun' Lawd, Lawd, an' his intrels fell on de groun' John Henry was hammerin' on de mountain An' his hammer was strikin' fire He drove so hard till he broke his pore heart An' he lied down his hammer an' he died Lawd, Lawd, he lied down his hammer an' he died All de womens in de wes' When dey heared of John Henry's death Stood in de rain, flagged de eas'-boun' train Goin' where John Henry fell dead Lawd, Lawd, goin' where John Henry fell dead John Henry's lil mother She was all dressed in red She jumped in bed, covered up her head Said she didn' know her son was dead Lawd, Lawd, didn' know her son was dead John Henry had a pretty lil woman An' de dress she wo' was blue An' de las' wards she said to him "John Henry, I've been true to you Lawd, Lawd, John Henry I've been true to you" "Oh, who's gonna shoe yo' lil feetses An' who's gonna glub yo' han's An' who'g gonna kiss yo' rosy, rosy lips An' who's gonna be yo' man Lawd, Lawd, an' who's gonna be yo' man?" Dey took John Henry to de graveyard An' dey buried him in de san' An' every locomotive come roarin' by Says, "Dere lays a steel-drivin' man Lawd, Lawd, dere lays a steel-drivin' man"