John Henry
Anonymous
Original | La versione live di Bruce Springsteen da “We Shall Overcome... |
JOHN HENRY John Henry was a railroad man, He worked from six 'till five, "Raise 'em up bullies and let 'em drop down, I'll beat you to the bottom or die." John Henry said to his captain: "You are nothing but a common man, Before that steam drill shall beat me down, I'll die with my hammer in my hand." John Henry said to the Shakers: "You must listen to my call, Before that steam drill shall beat me down, I'll jar these mountains till they fall." John Henry's captain said to him: "I believe these mountains are caving in." John Henry said to his captain: "Oh, Lord!" "That's my hammer you hear in the wind." John Henry he said to his captain: "Your money is getting mighty slim, When I hammer through this old mountain, Oh Captain will you walk in?" John Henry's captain came to him With fifty dollars in his hand, He laid his hand on his shoulder and said: "This belongs to a steel driving man." John Henry was hammering on the right side, The big steam drill on the left, Before that steam drill could beat him down, He hammered his fool self to death. They carried John Henry to the mountains, From his shoulder his hammer would ring, She caught on fire by a little blue blaze I believe these old mountains are caving in. John Henry was lying on his death bed, He turned over on his side, And these were the last words John Henry said "Bring me a cool drink of water before I die." John Henry had a little woman, Her name was Pollie Ann, He hugged and kissed her just before he died, Saying, "Pollie, do the very best you can." John Henry's woman heard he was dead, She could not rest on her bed, She got up at midnight, caught that No. 4 train, "I am going where John Henry fell dead." They carried John Henry to that new burying ground His wife all dressed in blue, She laid her hand on John Henry's cold face, "John Henry I've been true to you." | JOHN HENRY One, two, three 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 the captain he said to John Henry "I'm gonna bring that steam drill around I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on 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 a man ain't nothin' 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 Die with a hammer in my hand" Ready Sue! John Henry driving on the right side That steam drill driving on the left Says, "'fore 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 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 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 now too! I want it now! Now John Henry he hammered in the mountains His hammer was striking fire But he worked so hard, it 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 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 that steel like a man Come on! Well every, every Monday morning When a bluebird he began to sing You could 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 Set out again! So you can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord You can hear John Henry's hammer ring Come on! Woah! One, two, a one two three four! It's good |