John Henry Blues

Key of G

Verse

John Henry was a little bitty boy
No bigger than the palm of your hand
He picked up a hammer and little piece of stell
Johnny gonna make a steel drivin man, Lord Lord
Johnny gonna make a steel drivin man

Verse

John Henry told his captain
The next time you go to town
Can you bring John back a nine pound hammer
I’m gonna beat that steam drill down, Lord Lord
I’m gonna beat that steam drill down

Verse

John Henry he told his shaker
Shaker you better pray
For if I miss that old little piece of steel
Tomorrow’ll be your buryin’ day, Lord Lord
Tomorrow’ll be your buryin’ day

Verse

When they invented that old steam drill
They thought that they had ’em somethin’ fine
John Henry sank her fourteen feet
Steam drill only made her nine, Lord Lord
Steam drill only made her nine

Verse

John Henry was on the right hand side
The steam drill was on the left
Said before I will let that drill beat me down
I’ll hammer my old fool self to death, Lord Lord
I’ll hammer my old fool self to death

Verse

You can talk about John Henry as much as you want
Sing and do all that you can
But there was never born in the United States
No such a steel drivin’ man, Lord Lord
No such a steel drivin’ man