Version 1

Lyrics

(American folk song)

1. When John Henry was a little baby.
Sittin’ on his Daddy’s knee,
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel and he said,
“This hammer be the death of me, Lord, Lord,
This hammer be the death of me.”

2. Well, the captain said it to John Henry,
“Gotta bring that steam drill round,
Just take that steam drill out on the job,
Gonna whop that steel on down, Lord, Lord,
Gonna whop that steel on down.”

3. Then John Henry said it to the captain,
Guess a man’s gotta act like a man.
Before that steam drill comes to bother me,
Guess I’ll die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord,
I’ll die with a hammer in my hand.”

Version 2

Lyrics

1. When John Henry was just a little baby,
Sittin’ on his Daddy’s knee,
He gave one long and lonesome cry,
Said, “A hammer be the death of me.”
Said, “A hammer be the death of me.

2. Well, the captain said to John Henry,
“Gonna bring that steam drill round,
Gonna take that steam drill out on the job,
Gonna whop that steel on down,
Gonna whop that steel on down.”

3. John Henry told his captain,
“Well a man ain’t nothin’ but a man,
But before I let your steam drill beat me down,
I’ll die with a hammer in my hand,
I’ll die with a hammer in my hand.”

4. Oh, the man that invented the steam drill,
He thought that he was mighty fine,
But John Henry drove his steel fifteen feet,
And the steam drill drove only nine,
And the steam drill drove only nine.

5. John Henry kept hammerin’ on the mountain,
There was lightnin’ in his eye.
He drove so hard that he broke his heart,
And he laid down his hammer and he died,
And he laid down his hammer and he died.

6. They carried him off to the graveyard,
They buried him in the sand.
And people came from near and far
To praise that steel-drivin’ man,
To praise that steel-drivin’ man.

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  • 2 Songs with chords (PDF)
  • 2 MIDI files
  • Listen to the songs
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