Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee - John Henry lyrics

When John Henry was a little baby Sitting on his daddy's knee Pointed he figured out a little piece of steel Steel's gonna be the d**h of me, Lord, Lord Steel's gonna be the d**h of me Well, now steel's gonna be the d**h of me, Lord, Lord Steel's gonna be the d**h of me John Henry told his captain one day 'A man ain't nothin' but a man Before I will let you steam drill beat me down Would die with this hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord' Die with this hammer in my hand I would die with this hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord Die with this hammer in my hand John Henry had a little woman Her name was Polly Ann John Henry got sick and had to go to bed You know Polly, she drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord Polly, she drove steel like a man How she drive? John Henry drivin' on the right hand side Steam drill drivin' on the left Before I will let your steam drill beat me down I will drive my poor self to d**h, Lord, Lord Drive my poor self to d**h John Henry drove steel on the Southern He drove steel on the C&O He drove steel for that Big Ben Tunnel Steel drivin' k** John you know, steel drivin' k** John you know Well, now steel drivin' k** John you know, Lord, Lord Steel drivin' k** John you know Some says John Henry was born in Texas Some people thinks he was born in Maine John Henry was born down in Tennessee He was a leader of a steel-driving-gang, Lord, Lord Leader of a steel-driving-gang Was a leader of a steel-driving-gang, Lord, Lord Leader of a steel-driving-gang Well, the captain loved to see John Henry One of all loved to hear him sing But most of all that the paymaster loved He just loved to get John Henry's hammer ring He just loved to get John Henry's hammer ring He just loved to get John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord Loved to get John Henry's hammer ring They carried John Henry on the mountain Upon a mountain so high Last words I heard that poor boy say Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Well, they carried John Henry's body to the White-house And they laid it in the sand Every time a locomotive follows go rollin' by They say, yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Well, now yonder lays a steel-drivin' man They say yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Yonder lays a steel-drivin' man