John Henry was a little boy,
No bigger than the palm of your hand.
By the time that boy was nine years old
He was driving spikes like a man, Lord, Lord.
Driving spikes like a man.

John Henry said to the captain, yeah,
“Man, you ought to see me swing.
I weigh 49 pounds from my hips on down.
I love to hear the cold steel ring,
Love to hear the cold steel ring.”

John Henry said to the captain, yeah,
“A man ain’t nothing but a man,
But before I let the steam drill beat me down,
I’m gonna die with this hammer in my hand,
Die with this hammer in my hand.”

Captain said to John Henry, yeah,
“This mountain is caving in,”
John Henry said to the captain, “Well,
It’s just my hammer sucking wind, Lord, Lord.
Just my hammer sucking wind.”

John Henry went to that tunnel to drive,
Steam drill was by his side,
He beat that steam drill three inches and down,
He laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord.
Laid down his hammer and he died.

They took John Henry to the graveyard,
Buried him six feet in the sand,
Every time a locomotive pass by,
They say, “There lies a steel driving man, Lord, Lord.
There lies a steel driving man.”

Keywords: Hammer, spike, drive, captain, John Henry, race, locomotive, tunnel, steam drill