When John Henry was a little bitty boy
No bigger than the palm of your hand
John Henry's Mammy looked down at him and said
My Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man lord lord
My Johnny gonna be a steel drivin' man

Now the man that invented that old steam drill
He thought it mighty fine
But John Henry drove it down fifteen feet
While that steam drill only made it nine
Steam drill only made it nine

John Henry hammered in that mountainside
'Til his hammer caught on fire
Last word that poor John Henry said
Give me a cool drink of water before I die lord lord
Cool drink of water before I die

John Henry's captain he sat out on a rock
Said I think this tunnel's cavin' in
John Henry smiled at his captain and he said
Boss that's my hammer suckin' wind
Boss that's my hammer suckin' wind

Now John Henry had a sweet little woman
Her name was Polly Ann
Johnny got sick and he had to go to bed
Little Polly drove that steel like a man (lord lord)
Polly drove that steel like a man

They took John Henry to the graveyard
Put him six feet under the sand
Every time a freight train would come a-rollin' by
They'd say yonder lies that steel drivin' man lord lord
Yonder lies that steel drivin' man