I was born one mornin', The rain a-pourin' down, Heard my mammy say to my pappy, "Let's call him John Henry Brown." [Chorus] Walk on, boy; walk on down the road; Ain't nobody in this whole wide world A-gonna help you carry your load. I left my mammy and pappy Just about the age of ten; Lord, I got me a job a-workin' on the levee Totin' water for the hard workin' men. [Chorus] One day my pappy told me, "Some advice I wanna give to you Son, find a good woman, be good to her, An' she's gonna be good to you." [Chorus] If anyone should ever ask you, "Just who is that fella Brown?" You can tell him I'm the boy Who left his hammer smokin' Where he beat that steam drill down. [Chorus] Walk on, boy; walk on down the road; There ain't nobody in this whole wide world A-gonna help you carry your load. Walk on boy, walk on boy, Walk on, boy.