The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer

Song The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer
Artist Johnny Cash
Album Blood, Sweat & Tears

Lyrics

[00:18.88] John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
[00:23.22] He said Fore the sheriff comes
[00:25.34] I wanna tell you listen boy
[00:28.27] Said Learn to ball a jack
[00:31.05] Learn to lay a track
[00:33.05] Learn to pick
[00:34.35] And shovel too
[00:35.93] And take my hammer
[00:37.47] It'll do anything you tell it to
[00:41.83] John Henry's mammy had
[00:43.76] About a dozen babies
[00:46.69] John Henry's pappy broke jail
[00:48.77] About a dozen times
[00:52.03] The babies all got sick
[00:53.99] And when the doctor wanted money
[00:56.91] He said I'll pay you a quarter
[00:59.13] At a time startin' tomorrow
[01:01.73] That's the pay for a steel driver
[01:03.98] On this line
[01:06.36] Then the section foreman
[01:07.83] Said Hey hammer swinger
[01:11.02] I see you brought your own hammer boy
[01:12.77] But what else can all those muscles do
[01:14.99] And he said
[01:16.19] I can turn a jack
[01:18.39] I can lay a track
[01:20.14] I can pick and shovel too
[01:23.26] Can you swing a hammer boy
[01:24.82] Yes sir I'll do anything you hire me to
[01:36.17] Now ain't you somethin'
[01:38.28] So high and mighty wif your muscles
[01:41.70] Just go ahead boy and pick up that hammer
[01:44.21] Pick up the hammer
[01:46.03] He said Get a rusty spike
[01:48.03] And swing it down three times
[01:50.68] I'll pay you a nickel a day
[01:52.41] For every inch you sink it to
[01:55.08] Go on and do what you say you can do
[01:59.22] With a steep nose hammer
[02:00.63] On a four foot switch handle
[02:03.50] John Henry raised it back 'til
[02:05.10] It touched his heels then
[02:08.16] The spike went through the cross tie
[02:10.02] And it split it half in two
[02:12.70] Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel
[02:15.44] Sweat sweat boy
[02:17.47] Sweat you owe me two more swings
[02:19.82] I was born for driven steel
[02:28.55] Well John Henry hammered in the mountain
[02:32.57] He'd give a grunt he'd give a groan
[02:34.51] With every swing
[02:37.14] The women folks for miles around heard him
[02:40.37] And come down
[02:41.71] To watch him make the cold steel ring Lord
[02:44.66] What a swinger
[02:46.12] Just listen to that cold steel ring
[02:53.44] But the bad boss come up laughin' at John Henry
[02:57.59] Said You full of vinegar now
[02:59.52] But you about through
[03:02.35] We gonna get a steam drill to do
[03:04.95] Your share of drivin'
[03:06.71] Then what's all them muscles gonna do
[03:09.57] Huh John Henry
[03:11.15] Gonna take a little bit of vinegar
[03:12.90] Out of you
[03:14.95] John Henry said I feed four little brothers
[03:19.33] And baby sister's walkin' on her knees
[03:24.20] Did the Lord say that
[03:26.47] Machines oughtta take the place of livin'
[03:31.47] And what's a substitute for bread and beans
[03:35.55] I ain't seen it
[03:37.45] Do engines get rewarded for their steam
[03:54.85] John Henry hid in a coal mine
[03:56.52] For his dinner nap
[03:59.26] Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell
[04:03.43] The mine boss hollered Get up
[04:05.80] Whoever you are and get a pick axe
[04:08.04] Give me enough coal to start another hell
[04:10.46] And keep it burnin'
[04:12.16] Mine me enough to start another hell
[04:16.14] John Henry said to his captain
[04:20.58] A man ain't nothin' but a man
[04:24.48] But if you'll bring that steam drill round
[04:26.94] I'll beat it fair and honest
[04:29.16] I'll die with my hammer in my hand
[04:32.10] But I'll be laughin'
[04:33.37] 'Cuz you can't replace a steel drivin' man
[04:37.64] There was a big crowd of people
[04:39.76] At the mountain
[04:41.98] John Henry said to the steam drill
[04:44.13] How is you
[04:46.21] Pardon me mister steam drill
[04:47.61] I suppose you didn't hear me
[04:48.61] I said How're you
[04:51.38] Well can you turn a jack can you lay a track
[04:56.80] Can you pick and shovel too
[05:00.88] Listen this hammer swinger's talkin' to you
[05:28.15] Two thousand people hollered Go John Henry
[05:32.15] Then somebody hollered The mountain's caving in
[05:36.21] John Henry told the captain
[05:38.24] Tell the kind folks don't worry
[05:40.19] That ain't nothin'
[05:40.67] But my hammer suckin' wind it
[05:42.78] Keeps me breathin'
[05:44.45] A steel driver's muscle I intend
[05:52.83] Captain tell the people move back further
[05:56.55] I'm at the finish line
[05:57.95] And there ain't no drill
[06:00.60] It's so far behind
[06:01.98] But yet ain't got the brains to quit it
[06:04.81] When she blows up
[06:05.75] She'll scatter 'cross the hills Lord lordy
[06:08.76] When she blows up
[06:09.47] She'll scatter 'cross the hills
[06:23.46] Well John Henry had a little woman
[06:27.56] I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann
[06:31.98] Yeah that was his good woman
[06:33.86] John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder
[06:35.96] And went on home
[06:37.88] He laid down to rest his weary back
[06:39.88] And early next mornin'
[06:40.85] He said Come here Polly Ann come here sugar
[06:45.23] Ya know I believe this is the first time
[06:47.10] I ever watched
[06:47.96] The sun come up that I couldn't come up
[06:50.81] Take my hammer Polly Ann
[06:52.02] And go to that railroad
[06:53.73] Swing that hammer like you seen me do it
[06:56.14] And when you're swingin' with the lead man
[06:58.09] They'll all know
[06:59.39] They'll all know you're John Henry's woman
[07:01.80] But but tell them ain't all you can do
[07:03.55] Tell 'em I can hoist a jack
[07:06.84] And I can lay a track
[07:09.19] I can pick
[07:10.24] And shovel too ain't no machine can
[07:14.66] That's been proved to you
[07:27.08] There was a big crowd of mourners
[07:29.15] At the church house
[07:31.84] The section hands laid him in the sand
[07:36.33] Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid
[07:41.63] They slow down
[07:43.08] And take off their hats the men do
[07:44.52] When they come to the place
[07:45.77] Where John Henry's layin'
[07:46.92] Restin' his back some of 'em
[07:48.93] Say Mornin' steel driver
[07:51.82] You sure was a hammer swinger
[07:54.17] Then they go on by pickin' up
[07:55.26] A little speed
[07:55.79] Clickity clack
[07:57.17] Clickity clack
[07:57.52] Clickity clack
[07:58.85] Clickity clack
[08:00.08] Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord
[08:04.47] Yonder lies a steel drivin' man
[08:08.34] Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord
[08:12.52] Yonder lies a steel drivin' man
[08:16.67] Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord
[08:20.20] Yonder lies a steel drivin' man