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John Henry was just a little bitty boy |
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No bigger than the palm of your hand |
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His mammy looked down at John Henry and say |
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Johnny you're gonna be a steal drivin' man Lord lord |
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Johnny you're gonna be a steal drivin' man |
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John Henry he said to his Captain Captain I wanna hear you sing |
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I'll swing forty-nine pounds from my hips on down |
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I like to hear that cold steel ring Lord Lord I like to hear that cold steel ring |
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[ guitar ] |
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John Henry had a little woman and her name was Polly Ann |
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John Henry he got sick and he had to go to bed |
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But Polly drove the steel like a man Lord Lord Polly drove the steel like a man |
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John Henry went to the tunnel to drive steam hammer by his side |
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Well he beat that drill till the end of the tunnel |
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Laid down his hammer and he cried Lord Lord laid down his hammer and he cried |
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[ guitar - steel ] |
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John Henry drove the steel on that mountain till his hammer caught on fire |
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And the last words we heard John Henry say |
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Cool drink of water before I die Lord Lord a cool drink of water before I die |
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Well they took John Henry to the graveyard stuck him six feet under the sand |
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Everytime the freight train that go puffin' by |
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They say there lies a steel drivin' man Lord Lord yonder lies a steel drivin' man |