Lyrics:

When John Henry was just a little bitty boy
Settin' on his mammy's knee
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
Said, it's gonna be the death of me
It's gonna be the death of me

When John Henry was a little baby
He was no bigger than the palm of your hand
Well he's mammy looked down at little Johnny and said
Oh Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man, Lord Lord
Oh Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man

Well John Henry he was a steel drivin' man
He drove steel all over the land
He said before I let a steam hammer get me down
Gonna die with my hammer in my hand, Lord Lord
Gonna die with my hammer in my hand

Now John Henry went to the eternal drive
He had a steam hammer by his side
Oh the mountain was so tall, John Henry was so small
That he laid down his hammer and he cried Lord Lord
He laid down his hammer and he cried

Well, John Henry had him a lovin' little wife
And Her name was Polly Ann
Oh Johnny got sick and he had to go to bed
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord Lord
Polly drove steel like a man

Now they buried John Henry by the railroad
They laid him six feet down in the sand
And every time a freight train would hoo-hoo by
They'd say 'Yonder lays that steel drivin' man
Yonder lays that steel drivin' man'