[1] John Henry he was a little bitty boy
No bigger than the [5] palm of your [1] hand
[1] He picked up a hammer and little piece of steel
Johnny gonna make a steel drivin' man, Lord, Lord
Johnny gonna make a [5] steel drivin' [1] man

John Henry told his captain
The next time you go to town
Can you bring John back a nine pound hammer
I'm gonna beat that steam drill down, on down
Gonna beat that steam drill down

John Henry he told his shaker
Shaker you better pray
For if I miss that ol' little piece of steel
Tomorrow'll be your buryin' day, Lord, Lord
Tomorrow'll be your buryin' day

When man invented that ol' steam drill
Thought that he had somethin' fine
John Henry sank her fourteen feet
Steam drill only made her nine, Lord, Lord
Steam drill only made her nine

John Henry was on the right hand side
The steam drill was on the left
Said before I will let that drill beat me down
I'll hammer my old fool self to death, Lord, Lord
Hammer my old fool self to death

You can talk about John Henry as much as you want
Sing and do all that you can
But there was never born in the United States
No such a steel drivin' man, Lord, Lord
No such a steel drivin' man