John Henry

Bruce Springsteen

Tom: F

F  C  F  A#  F  A#  F  Dm  F  C  F 

One, two, three 
F 
Well, John Henry was a little baby 
                               C 
Sittin' on his dady's knee 
              F                              A#            
He pick up a hammer and a little piece of steel, 
                      F                      A#                    F         Dm 
And, "God, hammer's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord 
F                           C                      F 
Hammer's gonna be the death of me" 

Now the captain he said to John Henry, 
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill 'round 
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks 
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God God 
Gonna knock that steel on down" 

John Henry told his captain, 
"Lord, man ain't nothin' but a man 
Before I let that steam drill beat me down 
I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord 
Die with a hammer in my hand" 

John Henry driving on the right side 
That steam drill driving on the left 
Says, "Before I'll let your steam drill beat me down 
I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord 
I'll hammer my fool self to death" 

Well, captain said to John Henry, 
"What is that stone out here?" 
John Henry said, "That ain't no stone 
Captain, that's just my hammer in here, Lord, Lord 
That's just my hammer in here" 

John Henry said to his shaker 
"Shaker, why don't you sing? 
'Cause I'm swigin' thirty pounds from my hips on down 
Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord, Lord 
Listen to my cold steel ring" 
Come on ???! 

I wanna hear that banjo too! 

Now John Henry, he hammered in the mountains 
His hammer was striking fire 
But he worked so hard, he broke his heart 
John Henry laid his hammer and died, Lord, Lord 
John Henry laid down his hammer and died 

Well, now John Henry, he had him a woman 
Her name was Polly Ann 
She walked down to those tracks, picked up John Henry's hammer 
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord 
Polly drove that steel like a man 

Well every, every Monday morning 
When the bluebird he begin to sing 
You can hear John Henry from a mile or more 
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord 
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring 
Say that again! 
So you can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord 
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring 
Come on! Woah!