The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer Lyrics

Johnny Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
He said "Before the sheriff comes I wanna tell you," Said "Listen boy
Learn to hoist a jack and learn to lay a track learn to pick and shovel too
And take that hammer, It'll do anything you tell it to."

John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies
John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times
The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money
He said, "I'll pay you a quarter at a time startin' tomorrow
that's the pay for a steel driver on this line."

Then the section foreman said, "Hey! Hammer-swinger!
I see you your own hammer boy but, what all can them muscles do?" and he said,
"I can turn a jack I can lay a track I can pick and shovel too."
"Can you swing a hammer, boy?" "Yes sir, I'll do anything you hire me to."

Spoken:
"Now ain't you somethin'! So high and mighty with all that muscle! Just go
ahead, boy. Pick up that hammer, pick up the hammer!"

He said to get a rusted spike and swing it down three times
I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to
Go on and do what you say you can do

With a steel-nosed hammer on a four foot switch handle
John Henry raised it back til' it touched his heels then
The spike went through the cross-tie and split it half in two
Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel
"Sweat! Sweat, boy! Sweat! Only two more swings!"
"I was born drivin' steel"

Well John Henry hammered in the mountain
He'd give a grunt he give a groan every swing
The women-folks from miles around heard him and come down
To watch make the coal-steel ring "Lord! What a swinger!
Watch him make the coal-steel ring"

But the bad boys came up laughin' at

Johnny Cash - 16 Biggest Hits

Feb 1999

1. I Walk The Line
2. I Still Miss Someone
3. The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer
4. Don't Take Your Guns To Town
5. In The Jailhouse Now
6. Ring Of Fire
7. Understand Your Man
8. The Ballad Of Ira Hayes
9. Folsom Prison Blues
10. Daddy Sang Bass
11. Boy Named Sue (Live)
12. Sunday Morning Coming Down
13. Flesh And Blood
14. Man In Black
15. One Piece At A Time
16. Riders In The Sky