John Henry

Listen to it here!

The story of John Henry is an American Tall Tale about a railroad worker. His job was to cut through solid rock and make the ground ready for the railroad tracks. When a steam drill came that threatened to replace the men who worked on the railroad, John Henry challenged the new steam drill to see who was more important, man or machine. Legend says that John Henry won, but died of exhaustion.

Lyrics:

Verse 1: When John Henry was a little baby sitting on his pappy’s knee,

He grabbed a hammer and a little piece of steel, said “This hammer’ll be the death of me, O Lord,

This hammer’ll be the death of me.”

Verse 2: John Henry said to his captain, “A man ain’t nothin’ but a man;

but before I’ll let your steam drill beat me down, I’ll die with my hammer in my hand! O Lord!

Die with a hammer in my hand!”

Bridge John Henry got his thirty pound hammer, and by that steam drill he did stand.

And he beat that steam drill three inches down, then he died with his hammer in his hand! O Lord!

Died with his hammer in his hand!

Verse 3: They carried John Henry to the graveyard and they buried him underneath the sand.

And every locomotive goes a roaring by says “There lies a steel driving man! O Lord!

There lies a steel driving man!”

Repeated Section: Hammer in hand, he’s a steel driving man. The legend of John Henry!

Mighty and strong, he could work all day long. The legend of John Henry!

Coda