John Henry Let Your Hammer Ring

John Henry was about three days old

Sittin' on his papa's knee.

He picked up a hammer

And a little piece of steel

Said, "this hammer's gonna be

The death of me

Lord, Lord

This hammer's gonna be the death of me"

The captain said to John Henry

"Gonna bring that steam drill 'round

Gonna bring that steam drill

Out on the job

Gonna whop that steel on down

Down, down

Gonna whop that steel on down"

John Henry told his captain

"A man ain't nothin' but a man

But before I let your steam drill

Beat me down

I'd die with a hammer in my hand

Lord, Lord

I'd die with a hammer in my hand"

John Henry said to his shaker

"Shaker, why don't you sing?

I'm throwin' thirty pounds

From my hips on down

Just listen to that cold steel ring

Lord, Lord

Listen to that cold steel ring"

The man that invented the stream drill

Thought he was mighty fine

But John Henry he made fifteen feet;

The steam drill only made nine

Lord, Lord

The steam drill only made nine

John Henry hammered in the mountain

His hammer was striking fire

But he worked so hard

he broke his poor heart

And he laid down his hammer and he died

Lord, Lord

He laid down his hammer and he died

He laid down his hammer and he died

Lord, Lord

He laid down his hammer and he died

Well, every Monday morning

When the bluebirds begin to sing

You can hear John Henry a mile or more

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring

Lord, Lord

You can hear John Henry's hammer ring

Hammer ring