Dave Van Ronk Follow

Sittin' on his mama's knee
Well, he picked up a feather and a piece of steel
And said that's gonna be the death of me

Lord, Lord, Lord, that's gonna be the death of me
Well, John Henry had a little woman
Name of Polly Ann
Well, John got sick had to lay down on the bed
Polly drove steel like a man
Lord, Lord, Lord, Polly drove steel like a man

Well, John Henry went up on the mountain
Well, the mountain was sinkin' in
He said come on captain I know what I'm doin'
It ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind
Lord, Lord, Lord, it ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind

Well, John Henry went up on the mountain
Lord, the mountain was so high
He said we're gonna shake this steel drivin' down
Give me a cool drink of water before I die
Give me a cool drink of water before I die

Some say he came from England
Some say he came from Spain

But John Henry was nothin' but a Louisiana man
And he died with his hammer in his hand
Lord, Lord, Lord, he died with his hammer in his hand
Steel drivin' man, he died with his hammer in his hand

Sittin' on his mama's knee
Well, he picked up a feather and a piece of steel