John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
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He said, "'Fore the sheriff comes I wanna tell you - listen boy!
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Said, Learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too,
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And take my hammer! It'll do anything you tell it to.
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John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies,
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John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times
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The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money,
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He said, I'll pay you quarter at a time startin' tomorrow
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That's the pay for a steel driver on this line.
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Then the section foreman said, Hey - hammer swinger!
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I see you brought you own hammer boy, but what else can all those muscles do
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And he said, I can turn a jack, I can lay a track, I can pick and shovel too
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(Can you swing a hammer boy?)
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Yes, Sir, I?ll do anything you hire me to.
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Now ain't you something! So high and mighty wif' your muscles!
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Just go ahead, boy, and pick up that hammer! Pick up the hammer!
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He said, Get a rusty spike and swing it down three times.
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I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to.
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Go on and do what you say you can do.
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With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch handle,
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John Henry raised it back 'til it touched his heels. Then
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The spike went through the cross tie, and it split it half in two.
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Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel.
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(Sweat! Sweat boy, sweat! You owe me two more swings!)
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I was born for driven steel.
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Well John Henry hammered in the mountain.
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He'd give a grunt and he'd give a groan with every swing.
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The women folks for miles around heard him and come down,
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To watch him make the cold steel ring. Lord what a swinger!
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Just listen to that cold steel ring!
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But the bad boss come up laughin' at John Henry.
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Said, You full of vinegar now, but you about through!
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We gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin?,
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Then what's all them muscles gonna do? Huh, John Henry?
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Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you.
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John Henry said, I feed four little brothers,
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And baby sister's walking on her knees.
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Did the lord say that machines aughtta take the place of living?
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And what's a substitute for bread and beans? (I saint seen it)
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Do engines get rewarded for their steam
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John Henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner nap.
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Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell.
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The mine boss hollered, Get up, whoever you are, and get a pick axe!
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Give me enough coal to start another Hell. (And keep it burnin!)
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Mine me enough to start another Hell!
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John Henry said to his captain, A man ain't nothin' but a man.
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But if you'll bring that steam drill round, I'll beat it fair and honest.
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I'll die with my hammer in my hand but I'll be laughing
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'Cuz you can't replace a steel driven man.
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There was a big crowd of people at the mountain,
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John Henry said to the steam drill, How is you?
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Pardon me mister steam drill, I suppose you didn't hear me. I said how're you
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Well can you turn a jack, can you lay a track, can you pick and shovel too?
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Listen - this hammer swinger's talkin' to you!
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2000 people hollered, Go, John Henry!
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Then somebody hollered, The mountain's caving in!
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John Henry told the captain, Tell the kind folks don't worry.
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That ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind! (It keeps me breathing.)
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A steel driver's muscle I intend.
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Captain, tell the people, move back further!
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I'm at the finish line and there ain't no drill.
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It's so far behind, but yet ain't got the brains to quit it!
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When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills! (Lord Lordy!)
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When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills!
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Well John Henry had a little woman,
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I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann. (Yeah that was his good woman.)
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John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home.
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He laid down to rest his weary back, and early next mornin', he said,
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Come here Polly Ann Come here Sugar
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Ya know, I believe this is the first time I ever watched the sun come up
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That I couldn't come up.
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Take my hammer, Polly Ann, and go to that railroad.
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Swing that hammer like you seen me do it.
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| And when you're swingin |
