(Big John Big John)
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Every mornin' at the mine you could see him arrive
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He stood six foot six and weighed 245
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Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip and
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Everybody knew you didn't give no lip to Big John
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(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)
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Nobody seemed to know where John called home
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He just drifted into town and stayed all alone
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He didn't say much kinda quiet and shy
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And if you spoke at all you just said hi to Big John
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Somebody said he came from New Orleans
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Where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen
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and a crashin' blow from a huge right hand
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Sent a Louisiana fella to the Promised Land Big John
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(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)
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Then came the day at the bottom of the mine
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When a timber cracked and men started cryin'
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Miners were prayin' and hearts beat fast
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Everybody thought that they'd breathed their last 'cept John
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Through the dust and the smoke of this man made hell
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Walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well
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Grabbed a sagging timber and gave out with a groan
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And like a giant oak tree he just stood there alone Big John
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(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)
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And with all of his strength he have a mighty shove
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Then a miner yelled out there's a light up above
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Twenty men scrambled from a would be grave
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Now there's only one left down there to save Big John
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With jacks and timbers they started back down
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Then came that rumble way down in the ground
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The smoke and gas belched out of the mine
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Everybody knew it way the end of the line for Big John
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(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)
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Now they never reopened that worthless pit
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They just placed a marbled stand in front of it
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And these few words're written on that stand
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"At the bottom of this mine lies a big big man Big John."
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(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)
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Big Bad John
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Henson Cargill |