John Henry was a steel-driven man
Drove steel all over the land
And he said, "Fool I let that old steam drill beat me down
I'll die with my hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
I'll die with my hammer in my hand"
Now the man that played that old steam drill
He pilot mighty fine
But John Henry drove down fourteen feet
While that steam drill only made it nine, Lord, Lord
Steam drill only made it nine
John Henry's captain he said, "I'm on a rock"
He said, "I think this tunnel's falling in"
Then John Henry smiled at his captain and he said
"Now boss that's my hammer sucking wind, Lord, Lord
Boss, that's my hammer sucking wind"
John Henry he had a sweet little woman
Her name was Polly Anne
And while John he was sick and he laid down on his bed
Little Polly drove that steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove that steel like a man
John Henry hammered in the mountainside
Till his hammer caught on fire
And that last word that poor John Henry said
"Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die, Lord, Lord
Cool drink of water 'fore I die"
They took John Henry to the graveyard
Six feet under the sand
And every time a freight train would come a'rollin by
They say, "Yonder lies a steel-driven man, Lord, Lord
Yonder lies a steel-driven man"
