The Ballad of John Henry

[Leadbelly: spoken] And it’s a dance tune
And we dance to it down home Now I’m gonna play it to you
John Henry was a li'l baby, Sit'n on his Papa's knee.
He spied a little piece of steel and he cried. It’s gonna be the death of me! Lawd Lawd!
It’s gonna be the death of me!
John Henry had a little woman, And her name was sweet Polly Ann,
John Henry he took sick and had to go to bed, Polly Ann drove steel like a man, Lawd, Lawdy!
His Polly Ann drove steel like a man.
The captain up and said to John Henry, Gonna bring me a steam drill 'round,
Gonna take that steam drill out on the job, Gonna whop! That steel on down! Lawd knows
it! Gonna whop! That steel on down.
John Henry said to his captain, With lightnin' flashing in his eyes;
If you wanna win? Bet your last cent on me. Cause I'm gonna beat that drill or I'll die!
Yes! I'm gonna beat that drill or I'll die!
The sun was shining hot and burning, Not a breeze in the land stirred at all,
Sweat ran down, like water down a well, The day John Henry's hammer fell. Lawd knows
it! The day John Henry let his hammer fell.
John Henry went to the tunnel, And they put him in the lead to drive,
The rock so tall and John Henry was so small! That he laid down his hammer and he cried.
On the mountain! He laid down his hammer and he cried.
John Henry started out on the right hand, The steam drill started on the left.
He said; Before I'd let a drill beat me down, I'll jar these mountains till they fall, Lord
knows it! I'll jar these mountains till they fall.
John Henry said to his captain, A man ain’t nothin’ but a man,
But before I’d let dat drill beat me down. I’ll die with a hammer in my hand, Lawd,
Lawd ‘die with a hammer in my hand.
John Henry said to his shaker, Shaker, you better pray?
For if I miss this six-foot steel Tomorrow’ll be your buryin’ day Lawd,
Lawdy! Tomorrow’ll be your buryin’ day
John Henry told his captain, Looka yonder what I see ---
Steam drill's a broke, the hole's done choke! You can't throw steel like a man! Lawd knows
it! You can't throw steel like a man.
The man dat invented de steam drill, Thought he was mighty fine.
John Henry drove fifteen feet on down, But the steam drill only did nine, Lawd, Lawd,
and the steam drill only did nine.
John Henry was work'n on the mountain! And his Hammer was strike'n fire!
He done drove so hard! He done broke his poor heart;
And he laid down his hammer and he died -Lawd, La-a-awd,
He laid down his hammer and he died.
They took John Henry to the graveyard: And they buried him in the sand.
And every locomotive that comes roaring by! Says, 'There lies a steel-driving man!' Lawd,
La-a-awd, There lies a steel-driving man.