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