John Henry Traditional - Woody Guthrie* - Leadbelly Now I tell you the story of John Henry I guess he was a Louisiana man But one thing is right: in that night when he died He was the leader of a steeldrivin’ chain gang John Henry when he was a baby, (that’s told) Sittin’ on his daddy’s knee He pint his little finger at a piece of steel And said: steel goin’ be the death of me me me Well, some say he’s born down in Texas Some say he was born up in Main But I just say he was a Louisiana man He was the leader of a steeldrivin’ chain gang John Henry had a little woman Just as pretty as she could be The only objection I’ze got to her She want ev’ry man she see see see John Henry had another woman The dress she wore was blue She went walkin down the track, she never came back This loved one had never been true true true They took John Henry to the mountain That mountain was so high Mountain so tall and John Henry so small Laid down his hammer and he cried cried cried Once, John Henry said to his shaker Shaker, boy, you better pray ‘Cause if you miss your six-foot steel Tomorrow’ll be your buryin’ day day day Now the shaker said to John Henry When a man is nothin’ but a man I’m a throwin’ a hundred pound, from my hips throwin’ down I’m a-doin’ all what any man can can can Than the captain said to John Henry I believe this mountain’s sinkin’ in But John Henry said: ain’t nothin’ but my hammer Ain’t nothin’ but my hammer’s sucking win’ win’ win’ When John Henry died in that mountain All the women couldn’t stay in bed They stood in the rain, to catch the east bound train Going where John Henry’s dead dead dead They took John Henry to the tunnel And they buried him in the sand Ev’ry little girl, coming down the road, said There lays my steeldrivin’ man man man * My version is a mix from different versions   alles-uke.de