D
John Henry was a little baby
CGA
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
DG
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
DADG
And cried, "Hammer's gonna be death of me, Lord, Lord
DAD
Hammer's gonna be the death of me"
D
Now the captain he said to John Henry
CGA
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
DG
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
DADG
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God
DAD
I'm gonna knock that steel on down"
D
John Henry told his captain
CGA
"Lord a man ain't nothin' but a man
DG
But 'fore I let that steam drill beat me down
DADG
I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
DAD
I'll die with a hammer in my hand"
D
John Henry driving on the right side
CGA
That steam drill driving on the left
DG
Says, "'fore I let your steam drill beat me down
DADG
I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord,
DAD
I'll hammer my fool self to death"
D
Well captain said to John Henry
CGA
"What is that storm I hear?"
DG
John Henry said, "That ain't no storm captain
DADG
That's just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord
DAD
That's just my hammer in the air"
D
John Henry said to his shaker
CGA
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
DG
Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my hips on down
DADG
Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord Lord
DAD
Listen to my cold steel ring"
D
John Henry he hammered in the mountains
CGA
His hammer was striking fire
DG
But he worked so hard it broke his heart
DADG
John Henry laid down his hammer and died, Lord, Lord
DAD
John Henry laid down his hammer and died
D
Now John Henry he had him a woman
CGA
By the name of Polly Ann
DG
She walked out to those tracks picked up John Henry's hammer
DADG
And Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
DAD
Polly drove that steel like a man
D
Well every, every Monday morning
CGA
When a blue bird he begins to sing
DG
You can hear John Henry from a mile or more
DADG
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
DAD
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
DADG
I said you can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
DAD
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring