John Henry Well, John Henry was a little baby sittin' on his daddy's knee He pick up a hammer and a little piece of steel, And cried, "Hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord Hammer's gonna be the death of me" Now the captain he said to John Henry, "I'm gonna bring that steam drill 'round I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God Gonna knock that steel on down" John Henry told his captain, "Lord, man ain't nothin' but a man Before I let that steam drill beat me down I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord Die with a hammer in my hand" John Henry driving on the right side That steam drill driving on the left Says, "Before I'll let your steam drill beat me down I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord I'll hammer my fool self to death" Well, captain said to John Henry, "What is that storm I hear?" John Henry said, "That ain't no storm Captain, that's just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord That's just my hammer in the air" John Henry said to his shaker "Shaker, why don't you sing? 'Cause I'm swigin' thirty pounds from my hips on down Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord, Lord Listen to my cold steel ring" Now John Henry, he hammered in the mountains His hammer was striking fire But he worked so hard, he broke his heart John Henry laid his hammer and died, Lord, Lord John Henry laid down his hammer and died Well, now John Henry, he had him a woman Her name was Polly Ann She walked out on the tracks, picked up John Henry's hammer Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord Polly drove that steel like a man Well every, every Monday morning When the bluebird he begin to sing You can hear John Henry from a mile or more You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord You can hear John Henry's hammer ring

G G G G G G D D G G C C G D G Em G D G G