Johnny Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
|
He said "Before the sheriff comes I wanna tell you," Said "Listen boy
|
Learn to hoist a jack and learn to lay a track learn to pick and shovel too
|
And take that hammer, It'll do anything you tell it to."
|
|
John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies
|
John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times
|
The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money
|
He said, "I'll pay you a quarter at a time startin' tomorrow
|
that's the pay for a steel driver on this line."
|
|
Then the section foreman said, "Hey! Hammer-swinger!
|
I see you your own hammer boy but, what all can them muscles do?" and he said,
|
"I can turn a jack I can lay a track I can pick and shovel too."
|
"Can you swing a hammer, boy?" "Yes sir, I'll do anything you hire me to."
|
|
Spoken:
|
"Now ain't you somethin'! So high and mighty with all that muscle! Just go
|
ahead, boy. Pick up that hammer, pick up the hammer!"
|
|
He said to get a rusted spike and swing it down three times
|
I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to
|
Go on and do what you say you can do
|
|
With a steel-nosed hammer on a four foot switch handle
|
John Henry raised it back til' it touched his heels then
|
The spike went through the cross-tie and split it half in two
|
Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel
|
"Sweat! Sweat, boy! Sweat! Only two more swings!"
|
"I was born drivin' steel"
|
|
Well John Henry hammered in the mountain
|
He'd give a grunt he give a groan every swing
|
The women-folks from miles around heard him and come down
|
To watch make the coal-steel ring "Lord! What a swinger!
|
Watch him make the coal-steel ring"
|
|
But the bad boys came up laughin' at John Henry
|
They said," Your full of vinegar now but you bout' through!
|
We gonna get a steamdrill to do your share of drivin'
|
Then what's all them muscles gonna do? Huh? John Henry?
|
Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you."
|
|
John Henry said,"I feed for little brothers
|
and baby sisters' walkin' on her knees
|
Now did the Lord say that machines ought to take place of livin'?
|
And what's a substitute for bread and beans? I ain't seen it!
|
Do engines get rewarded for their steam?
|
|
John Henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner nap
|
Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell
|
The mine boys hollered," Get up whoever you are and get a pickax
|
Mine me enough to start another hell and keep it burnin'
|
Mine me enough to start another hell.
|
|
John Henry said to his captain said "A man ain't nothin' but a man
|
but if you'll bring that steamdrill 'round I'll beat it fair and honest.
|
I'll die with that hammer in my hand but, I'll be laughin',
|
cause you can't replace a steel-drivin' man.
|
|
There was a big crowd of people at the mountain.
|
John Henry said to the steam-drill "How is you?
|
(spoken) Pardon me, Mister Steamdrill I suppose you didn't hear me. Huh?
|
Well, can you turn a jack? Can you lay a track? Can you pick and shovel too?
|
Listen, this hammer-swinger's talkin' to you.
|
|
(Faster...........)
|
Two-thousand people hollered, "Go John Henry!!!!!"
|
Then somebody hollered," The mountain's cavin' in!!!!!!"
|
John Henry told the captin,"Tell the kind-folks not to worry
|
It ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind, it keeps me breathin'
|
This steel-driver's muscle it ain't thin.
|
|
"Captain tell the people to move back farther
|
I'm at the finish line and there ain't no drill
|
It's so far behind that it don't got the brains to quit it
|
When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills Lord, Lord
|
When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills"
|
|
(Slower...........)
|
(Spoken)
|
Well, John Henry had a little woman
|
I believe the lady's name was Paulie Ann yeah that was his good woman
|
John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home
|
He laid down to rest his weary back and early next mornin' he said,
|
"Come here Paulie Ann, come here sugar.
|
You know I believe this is the first time there ever was the sun come
|
and I couldn't come up. Take my hammer, Paulie Ann and go to that railroad
|
Swing that hammer like you seen me do it
|
They'll all know your John
|
|
-----------------
|
The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer
|
| Johnny Cash |
