John Henry

John Henry was a little baby
 Sitting on his papa's knee
 Well he picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
 Says this hammer's gonna be the death of me
 The hammer's gonna be the death of me
 Hammer's gonna be the death of me
 Hammer's gonna be the death of me
 John Henry said to his captain, "Now a man ain't nothing but a man"
 Before I let your steel drill bring me down
 I will die with that hammer in my
 I'll die with that hammer in my hand
 I'll die with that hammer in my hand
 I'll die with that hammer in my hand
 John Henry said to his shaker, "Now shaker why don't you sing"
 I'm shaking twelve pounds from my hip on down
 Now don't you hear that cold steel ring
 Don't you hear that cold steel ring
 Don't you hear that cold steel ring
 Don't you hear that cold steel ring
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 John Henry hammered in the mountain and the mountain it was so high
 And the last word that I heard that poor man cry
 He says, "Give me a cool drink of water before I die"
 Give me a cool drink of water before I die
 Give me a cool drink of water before I die
 Give me a cool drink of water before I die
 John Henry went down that railroad track
 With a twelve pound hammer by his side
 Yes he went down the track but he never came back
 Because he laid down his hammer and he
 He laid down his hammer and he
 He laid down his hammer and he died
 He laid down his hammer and he died
 John Henry had a little woman
 And the dress that she wore was red
 And the last words that I heard that poor girl said
 She says, "I'm going where John Henry fell dead"
 I'm going where John Henry fell dead
 I'm going where John Henry fell dead
 I'm going where John Henry fell dead