John Henry Songtext
von Pete Seeger

John Henry was a little baby
Sitting on his papa′s knee
And he picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
Cried, A hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord
Hammer′s gonna be the death of me
Cried, A hammer's gonna be the death of me
Hammer's gonna be the death of me


Now the captain he said to John Henry
I′m gonna bring that steam drill around
I′m gonna bring that steam drill out on the job
I'm gonna whop that steel on down, down, down
Whop that steel on down
I′m gonna whop that steel on
Gonna whop that steel on
John Henry told his captain
O'lord a man ain′t nothin' but a man
But before I′d let your steam drill beat me down
I would die with a hammer in my hand
I would die with a hammer in my hand
I would die with a hammer in my
I would die with a hammer in my hand

John Henry said to his shaker
Shaker, why don't you sing?
Cause I'm swingin′ thirty pounds from my hips on down
Just listen to that cold steel ring
Just listen to that cold steel
Just listen to that cold steel
Just listen to that cold steel ring
Now the Captain, he said to John Henry
I believe that mountain′s cavin' in
John Henry said right back to the captain
Ain′t nothing but my hammer sucking wind
Ain't nothing but my hammer sucking wind
Ain′t nothing but my hammer sucking wind
Ain't nothing but my hammer sucking wind


Now the man that invented the steam drill
He thought he was mighty fine
But John Henry drove fifteen feet
And the steam drill only made nine. Lord, Lord
The steam drill only made nine
I said, the steam drill only made
Said, the steam drill only made
John Henry hammered in the mountain
His hammer was striking fire
But he worked so hard, he broke his poor heart
And he laid down his hammer and he died
He laid down his hammer and he died
He laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord
He laid down his hammer and he died
Now John Henry had a little woman
Her name was Polly Ann
John Henry took sick and had to go to bed
And Polly Ann drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly Ann drove steel like a man
I said, Polly Ann drove steel like a
Polly Ann drove steel like a man
Oh, every Monday morning
When the bluebirds begin to sing
You can hear John Henry a mile or more
You can hear John Henry′s hammer ring
You can hear John Henry's hammer
You can hear John Henry's hammer
You can hear John Henry′s hammer ring
You can hear John Henry′s hammer
You can hear John Henry's hammer
You can hear John Henry′s hammer
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring