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