john henry when he was a baby sitting on his papa s knee well he picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel said hammer gonna be the death of me hammer gonna be the death of me lord hammer gonna be the death of me lord lord hammer gonna be the death of me when the captain said to john henry gonna bring that steam drill around gonna bring that steam drill out on this job and i ll whop that steel on down lord gonna whop that steel on down whop that steel on down lord lord whop that steel on down john henry said to the captain you can bring that steam drill around you can bring that steam drill out on this job and ill beat that steam drill down lord beat that steam drill down beat that steam drill down lord lord beat that steam drill down john henry had a little woman well her name it was polly anne john henry took sick and had to go to bed and polly drove steel like a man lord polly drove steel like a man i said polly drove steel like a man lord lord polly drove steel like a man john henry hammered in the mountain till the head of his hammer caught fire well he worked so hard and he broke his poor heart and he laid down his hammer and he died lord laid down his hammer and he died laid down his hammer and he died lord lord laid down his hammer and he died well every monday morning when the bluebirds begin to sing you can hear john henry from half a mile you can hear john henry s hammer ring lord hear john henry s hammer ring hear john henry s hammer ring lord lord hear john henry s hammer ring