John Henry
Dave Van Ronk

John Henry when he was a baby

Settin' on his mammy's knee

Picked up an hammer in his little right hand

Said Hammer be the death of me me me,

Hammer be the death of me!

Some say he's born in Texas

Some say he's born up in Maine

I just say he was a Louisiana man

Leader of a steel-driving chain gang

Leader on a steel-driving gang

Well, the captain said to John Henry

I'm gonna bring my steam drill around

Gonna whup that steel on down down down

Whup that steel on down!

John Henry said to the captain (what he say?)

You can bring your steam drill around

Gonna bring my steam drill out on the job

I'll beat your steam drill down down down

Beat your steam drill down!

John Henry said to his Shaker

Shaker you had better pray

If you miss your six feet of steel

It'll be your buryin' day day day

It'll be your buryin' day!

Now the Shaker said to John Henry

Man ain't nothing but a man

But before I'd let that steam drill beat me down

I'd die with an hammer in my hand hand hand

I'd die with an hammer in my hand!

John Henry had a little woman

Her name was Polly Anne

John Henry took sick and was laid up in bed

While Polly handled steel like a man man man

Polly handled steel like a man.

They took John Henry to the graveyard

Laid him down in the sand

Every locomotive comin' a-rolling by by by

Hollered there lies a steel-drivin' man man man

There lies a steel-drivin' man!

Purchase "John Henry" Purchase Entire Album Email Video to Friends Play Youtube "John Henry" Video Play Spotify "John Henry" Song View Wikipedia "John Henry" Entry Receive Emails for Future Dave Van Ronk Lyrics

Link to "John Henry"

Share:

Copied!

Share on Facebook, Twitter, and more

See Recommended Lyrics For You

Loading...

Lyrics by Dave Van Ronk

Buddy Boldenu2019S Blues Frankie & Johnny Nobody Knows You When You Are Down and Out Rocks & Gravel Song of the Wandering Aengus St. Louis Tickle Stagger Lee Two Trains Running Youu2019Ve Been a Good Old Wagon A Cottage for Sale Ace in the Hole Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down Alabama Song Another Time And Place Backwater Blues Betty And Dupree Bird on the Wire Black Mountain Blues Blue Monday Both Sides Now Buckets Of Rain Bye Bye Blackbird Candy Man Careless Love Casey Jones Chelsea Morning Cocaine Blues Come Back Baby Did You Hear John Hurt? Dink's Song Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? Don't You Leave Me Here (I'm Alabama Bound) Down South Blues Duncan And Brady Fair and Tender Ladies Four Strong Winds Gambler's Blues Garden State Stomp Georgie And The Irt God Bless the Child Haul On The Bowline He Never Came Back He Was a Friend of Mine Hesitation Blues Honey Hair House of the Rising Sun I Can't Get Started I'll See You in My Dreams If You Leave Me, Pretty Mama Jesus Met the Woman At the Well Just A Closer Walk With Thee Last Call Leave Her, Johnny Losers Mack the Knife Motherless Child Mr. Noah My Baby's So Sweet My Little Grass Shack My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii Please See My Grave Is Kept Clean River Come Down (Bamboo) Sometime (Whatcha Gonna Do) Song to Woody Spike Driver Blues Sportin' Life Blues St. James Infirmary St. James Infirmary (Gambler's Blues) Standing By My Window Sweet Substitute Thanks for the Memory Trouble In Mind Willie The Weeper Winin' Boy Blues Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troub... You've Been a Good Old Wagon But You Done Broke Do... Zen Koans Gonna Rise Again

Related Songs

Treat Me Nice John Henry - Diana Ross Treat Me Nice John Henry [*]... Treat Me Nice John Henry - The Supremes The Ballad Of John Henry - Joe Bonamassa John Henry - Unknown John Henry - Pete Seeger John Henry - Bruce Springsteen John Henry - Hank Thompson The Day John Henry Died - Drive-By Truckers John Henry - Hugh Laurie John Henry - Irma Thomas More About John Henry - Tom T. Hall Spike Drivers Blues - Laura Veirs The Legend Of John Henry - Hugh Laurie The Legend Of John Henry - Hugh Laurie John Henry - Woody Guthrie John Henry - Jerry Lee Lewis John Henry - Delta Spirit They Killed John Henry - Justin Townes Earle John Henry - Burl Ives John Henry - Bill Monroe John Henry - Harry Belafonte Kings And Queens (Ruthless Rulers) Song... English Kings and Queens - Horrible Histories Spike Driver Blues - Doc Watson Legend Of John Henry's Hammer - Johnny Cash The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer - Johnny Cash Joe Louis and John Henry Blues... John Henry (Terry McMurray) ... John Henry Split My Heart (demo) - Songs: Ohia Jack Daniels John Henry and Me - Billy Don Burns John Henry - Buster Brown John Henry - Big Bill \rBroonzy John Henry - Cows Dope Head Blues - Victoria Spivey Henry Parson Died - Widespread Panic Cold Song - Sting 21 Guns - Westlife Theo And Weird Henry - John Mellencamp John Henry [Instrumental] - Flatt & Scruggs John Henry [Instrumental] - Dan Crary John Henry [Instrumental]... John Henry [Instrumental] - Aaron McDaris John Henry Lives - Laura Veirs John Henry [Instrumental] - Roy Hall With Rhythm John Henry [Instrumental] - Mashville Brigade New Railroad - Crooked Still John Henry Split My Heart - Songs: Ohia The Flame - Trisha Yearwood Young Hunting (tranditional version) - Cave Nick Young Hunting (tranditional version)... Young Hunting (Traditional Version)... No Shoestrings On Louise - John Elton The Legend - Jerry Reed Barefootin' - Pete Townshend Barefootin' - Pete Townshend Barefootin' - Wilson Pickett Suicide Life - John Waite The Ballad Of Poor John Henry - Cuff the Duke A Hole in the Bucket - Odetta A Hole In the Bucket - Harry Belafonte Move Your Arms Like Henry - The Wiggles Barefootin' - ALABAMA Barefootin' - Jerry Jeff Walker Barefootin' - Alabama Barefootin' - Jerry Jeff Walker Barefootin' - Johnny Winter Barefootin' - Johnny Rivers A Hole In The Bucket - Sesame Street I'm Henry Viii, I Am - Herman's Hermits I'm Henry the Eighth I Am - Herman's Hermits Henry The 8th, I Am - Herman's Hermits I'm Henry the Eighth I Am - Hermans Hermits I'm Henry The Viii, I Am - Hermans Hermits I'm Henry Viii, I Am - Herman's Hermits Done Too Soon - Neil Diamond Im Henry Viii I Am - Herman's Hermits Henry Darger - Natalie Merchant Walk On Boy - Earl Scruggs God Defend New Zealand (National Anthem)... Roll With Me Henry - Etta James Please, Mrs. Henry - Dylan Bob Please, Mrs. Henry - Bob Dylan Dance With Me Henry - Georgia Gibbs Dance With Me Henry [*] - Georgia Gibbs Dance with Me Henry (Wallflower) - Georgia Gibbs Henry's Dance - The Wiggles Barefootin' - Robert Parker Henry The Octopus - The Wiggles Henry The Octopus - Wiggles The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry) - Etta James Dance With Me Henry - Etta James Dance With Me Henry - The Platters The Wallflower (Dance With Me Henry) [#]... Dance With Me Henry [#] - Ann-Margret Dance with Me - The Platters Please Mrs. Henry - Bob Dylan Please, Mrs. Henry - The Band Hey #1 - Next To Normal Hooray For Henry - Kooks Please, Mrs. Henry - Band, The The Wallflower - Etta James Please Mrs Henry - Manfred Mann's Earth Band Save the Bones for Henry Jones - Ray Charles Save the Bones for Henry Jones - Dr. John Save the Bones for Henry Jones [DVD]... Don't Ya Tell Henry - Dylan Bob Don't Ya Tell Henry - Bob Dylan Don't Ya Tell Henry - Bob Dylan Walter Henry Hagan - Dolly Parton Flight (The Higher We Fly) - John Denver One Drink Down - Gerry Rafferty Flight - John Denver Love Is Everywhere - John Denver Nine Pound Hammer... Hey #2 - Next To Normal Perfect For You - Next To Normal Henry Rollins Is No Fun - Chixdiggit! Hey #3 / Perfect For You (Reprise)... Green Henry - Dada Henry's Dance - Wiggles The Wallflower (Roll With Me Henry) - Etta James The Wallflower (Roll With Me Henry) [Mono Version]... Wallflower (Dance with Me Henry) - Etta James Marilyn - Dan Bern Hey Henry - Etta James Vad Ska Vi Göra Med Henry? - Parken Blow Wind - Paw Paregoric - Tad Follow - Gruntruck Meet Me in the City (Junior Kimbrough cover)... Nine Pound Hammer - Bill Monroe Cinémania - Stereo Total No Shoestrings On Louise - Elton John Pursue The Truth - David Hasselhoff Cool AnÃ¢?? Green AnÃ¢?? Shady - John Denver Doin' My Time - Flatt & Scruggs Doing My Time - Flatt and Scruggs Cool An\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Green An\u00e2\u20ac\u21... Nine Pound Hammer - Beau Brummels American Child - John Denver Walkin' Blues Again - Eric Bibb Trap - Henry Bloody Red Rose - Running Wild Man Against Machine - Garth Brooks A Baby Just Like You - Christmas Songs Doin' My Time - Flatt and Scruggs O Come Emmanuel - Rebecca St. James Doin' My Time - Stuart Marty Doin' My Time - Johnny Cash Doin' My Time - Marty Stuart Doin' My Time - Flatt & Scruggs Doin' My Time - Marty Stuart I Heard The Bells - Mercyme Common Henry - Amanda Jenssen It's Not The Thing Henry - Alison Moyet Bloody Red Roses - Running Wild The Flower That Shattered the Stone - John Denver Henry Lee - P.J. Harvey Henry Lee - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Henry Lee - Nick Cave & The Bad Seed Henry Lee (Nick Cave version)... Henry - Bif Naked Henry - Grateful Dead Henry Thomas - The Lovin' Spoonful Save the Bones for Henry Jones - Nat King Cole Save the Bones for Henry Jones - Johnny Mercer Let's Be Bad Henry, Let's Be Really Bad... Henry Lee - P. J. Harvey The Death Of Queen Jane (Child No. 170)... Death of Queen Jane - 10,000 Maniacs The Death of Queen Jane - Loreena Mckennitt So Cold - Super Junior Henry Lee"(feat. PJ Harvey - Nick Cave Henry Lee (Nick Cave version) - Cave Nick Shipmates and Cheyenne - John Denver Afro ( Freestyle Skit) - Erykah Badu Cool AnÂ¡Â¯ Green AnÂ¡Â¯ Shady... A Baby Just Like You - Bee Gees I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart - Duke Ellington Walk On, Boy - Doc Watson Henry Street - Barbra Streisand Just Like Henry - Dressy Bessy Windsong - John Denver Dialogues (twist) - Wizard Of Oz Henry Kissinger - Monty Python Henry Kissenger - Monty Python Ravens Child - John Denver RavenÃ¢??s Child - John Denver Raven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Child - John Denver Raven's Child - John Denver The Presidents - Jonathan Coulton The Death Of Queen Jane - Celtic Woman Henry - The Cliks Where the Hell Is Henry? - Chuck Prophet Henry Lee - PJ Harvey Henry Lee (Nick Cave version)... Henry Lee - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds Henry Lee - Nick Cave Oh Henry - The Civil Wars

Please consider supporting this site by Clicking Here and Bookmarking whenever you search and shop Amazon. It costs you nothing but it supports us and gives us credit and we appreciate it greatly.