Key: G
Introduction:
A
Johnny Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight,
E
he said, "Before the sheriff comes, I wanna tell you,
"Said "Listen boy,
A D A
learn to hoist a jack and learn to lay a track
learn to pick and shovel, too, and take that hammer,
A E A
it'll do anything you tell it to."
A
John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies,
E
John Henry's pappy broke jail a dozen times,
A D A
the babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money,
he said, "I'll pay you a quarter at a time, startin' tomorrow,
A E A
that's the pay for a steel driver on this line."
A
Then the section foreman said, "Hey! Hammer-swinger !
I see you brought your own hammer, boy, but,
A D A
"I can hoist a jack, and I can lay a track, I can pick and shovel, too."
He said, "Can you swing a hammer?"
A E A G
And he said, “ Do anything you hire me to."
G
"Now ain't you somethin' ! You so high and mighty
Gºahead,
and show me what you can do!"
G C G
He said, “Get a rusted spike and swing that hammer down three times,
I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to.
G
With a steep-nosed hammer on a four foot switch handle,
D
John Henry raised it back til' it touched his heels, then
G C G
the spike went through the cross-tie and it split it half in two.
Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel.
D
"Sweat ! Sweat, boy ! Sweat ! Only two more swings !"
C G E
Said, "I was born drivin' steel."
E
Well, now, John Henry hammered in the mountain,
B7
he'd give a grunt, and he’d give a groan with every swing,
E A E
the women-folks from miles around heard him and come down
they’d watch make the cold-steel ring "Lord ! What a swinger !
E B7 E G
Watch him make the cold-steel ring."
G
Then the bad boys came up laughin' at John Henry,
D
they said," You’re full of vinegar now, but you bout' through!
G C G
We gonna get a steamdrill to do your share of drivin' ,
then what's all them muscles gonna do? Huh? John Henry?
G D G
Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you."
G
John Henry said, "I feed four little brothers,
D
and my baby sister’s walkin' on her knees.
G C G
Now, did the Lord say that machines ought to take the place of livin'?
And what's a substitute for bread and beans ? I ain't seen it !
G D G
Do engines get rewarded for their steam?
G
Then John Henry said to his captain,
D
said, "A man ain't nothin' but a man,
G C G
but you can bring that steamdrill 'round I'll beat it fair and honest.
I'll die with that hammer in my hand, but I'll be laughin',
G D G
'cause you can't replace a steel-drivin' man.
G
There was a big crowd of people at the mountain,