We shall overcome the seeger sessions

Released: 25.april 2006

John Henry

 When John Henry was a little baby

Sittin’ on his daddy’s knee

He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel

And cried: “Hammer’s gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord

Hammer’s gonna be the death of me”

Now captain he said to John Henry

"I'm gonna bring that steam drill around

I'm gonna bring that steam drill

out of these tracks

I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God

I'm gonna knock that steel on down"

John Henry told his captain,

“Lord aman ain’t noth’ but a man

But before I let this steam drill beat me down

I’m gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord,

I’ll die with a hammer in my hand”

John Henry Driving on the right side

That steam drill driving on the left

Says,"Fore I 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 storm I hear?"

John Henry said,"That ain't no storm captain

That's just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord

That's just my hammer in the air"

John Henry said to his shaker

"Shaker, why don't you sing?

Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds

from my hips on down

Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord, Lord

Listen to my cold steel ring"

John Henry he hammered in the mountains

His hammer was stricking fire

But he worked so hard;

it broke his heart

John Henry laid down his hammer

and died, Lord, Lord

John Henry laid down his hammer and died.

Well now John Henry

he had him a woman by the name of Polly Ann

She walked out to those tracks

Picked up John Henry's hammer

Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord

Polly drove steel like a man

Well every, every Monday morning

When a blue bird he began to sing

you could hear John Henry

from a mile or more

You could hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord

You could hear John Henry's hammer ring

I say, You could hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord

You could hear John Henry's hammer ring