Jackhammer John Songtext
von Woody Guthrie

Jackhammer John was a jackhammer man,
Born with a jackhammer in his hand.
Lord, Lord And he had them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

I built your roads and buildings too,
And I′m gonna build a damn or two.
Lord, Lord, well I had them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

I was borned in Portland town,
Built every port from Alasky down;
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

Built your bridges, dug your mines,
Been in jail a thousand times.
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.


Jackhammer, jackhammer, where ya been?
Been out a-chasin' them gals again;
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

Jackhammer man from a jackhammer town,
I can hammer till the sun goes down,
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

I hammered on the boulder, hammered on the butte,
Columbia River on a five-mile chute;
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

Workin′ on the Bonneville, hammered all night
A-tryin' to bring the people some electric light,
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

I hammered on Bonneville, Coulee too,
Always broke when my job was through,
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.


I hammered on the river from sun to sun,
Fifteen million salmon run;
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

I hammered in the rain, I hammered in the dust,
I hammered in the best and I hammered in the worst;
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.

I got a jackhammer gal just as sweet as pie,
And I'm a-gonna hammer till the day I die,
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues.
I got them jackhammer blues.