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Lyrics: The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer

Artist: Johnny Cash
Song: The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer
Released: 1962
Rating: 45.8 out of 100Please log in to rate this song.
The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer lyrics
John Henry's Pappy woke him up one midnight
He said before the sheriff comes I wanna tell you, listen boy
Said learn to hoist a jack, and learn to lay a track
Learn to pick and shovel too
And take my hammer, it'll do anything you tell it to

John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies
John Henry's pappy broke jail a dozen times
The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money He said I’ll pay you quarter at a time, startin’ tomorrow That’s the pay for a steel driver on this line

Then the section foreman said hey hammer swinger
I see you brought you own hammer boy, but what else can all those muscles do
And he said, I can hoist a jack, I can lay a track, I can pick a shovel too
And he said “can you swing that hammer ?”
I can, I’ll do anything you hire me to

Now ain’t you something so high and mighty with your muscles
Just go ahead pick up that hammer and show me what you can do
He said get a rusty spike and swing it down three times I’ll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to
Go on and do what you say you can do

With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch channel John Henry raised it back till it touched his heels
Then the spike went through the cross tie and it split it half in two
35 cents a day for driving steel
(he said sweat boy, sweat, you owe me two more swings)
I was born for driving steel

Well John Henry hammered in the mountain
He'd give a grunt and he'd give groan with every swing
The women folks for miles around, heard him and come down
To watch him make the cold steel ring
Lord what a swinger, just listen to that cold steel ring

But the bad boss come up laughing at John Henry
Said you full of vinegar now, but you bout through
Were gonna get a steam drill to do your share of driven
Then what’s all them muscles gonna do, huh John Henry
Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you

John Henry said I feed four little brothers
And my baby sister’s walking on her knees
Did the lord say that machines ought to take the place of living
And what’s a substitute for bread and beans
I ain’t seen it, do engines get rewarded for their steam

John Henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner now
Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell
The mine boss hollered get up whoever you are
And get a pick ax, give me enough coal to start another hell
And keep it burning, mine me enough to start another hell

John Henry said to his captain, a man ain’t nothin’ but a man
But if you bring that steam drill round, I’ll beat it fair and honest
I’ll die with my hammer in my hand, but I’ll be laughing Because you cant replace a steel drivin’ man

There was a big crowd of people at the mountain
John Henry said to the steam drill how is you
Pardon me mister steam drill, I suppose you didn’t hear me I said how you, well can you turn a jack
Can you lay a track, can you pick and shovel too
Listen this hammer swingers talkin’ to you

2000 people hollered go John Henry
Then somebody hollered the mountains caving in
John Henry told the captain, tell the kind folks not to worry
That ain’t nothin’ but my hammer suckin’ wind
Keeps me breathing, a steel drivers muscle I intend

Captain tell the people move back further
I’m at the finish line and I ain’t no drill
She’s so far behind you ain’t got the brains to quit it
When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills
Lord lordy, when she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills

Well John Henry had a little woman
I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann
Yeah that was his good woman
John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home He laid down to rest his weary back and early next morning He said come here Polly Ann come here sugar
Ya know I believe this is the first time I ever watched the sun come up
That I couldn’t come up with it

Take my hammer Polly Ann and go to that rail road
Swing that hammer like you seen me do it
And when your swinging with the lead men
They’ll all know they'll all know your John Henry's woman But tell them that’s not all I can do
Tell ‘em I can hoist a jack, and I can lay a track
I can pick and shovel too
Ain’t no machine can, that’s been proved to you

There was a big crowd of mourners at the church house
The section hands laid him in the sand
Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid
They slow down and take off their hats
The men do, when they come to the place John Henrys laid
Rests on his back, some say
Mornin’ steel driver you sure were a hammer swinger
Then they go along pickin’ up speed
Clicktey clak, clicktey clak, yonder lies a steel driven man
Oh lord, yonder lies a steel driven man
Yonder lies a steel driven man
Oh lord, yonder lies a steel driven man

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