John Henry
John Henry
Doc Watson
Key
Chords
A
A7
C
D
G
G7
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Chord Chart
Backing Track
Lyrics
John Henry was a steel-driving man
Drove steel all over the land
And he said, Fool I let that old steam drill beat me down
I'll die with my hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
I'll die with my hammer in my hand
Now the man that played that old steam drill
He pilot mighty fine
But John Henry drove down fourteen feet
While that steam drill only made it nine, Lord, Lord
Steam drill only made it nine
John Henry's captain he said, I'm on a rock
He said, I think this tunnel's falling in
Then John Henry smiled at his captain and he said
Now boss that's my hammer sucking wind, Lord, Lord
Boss, that's my hammer sucking wind
John Henry he had a sweet little woman
Her name was Polly Anne
And while John he was sick and he laid down on his bed
Little Polly drove that steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove that steel like a man
John Henry hammered in the mountainside
Till his hammer caught on fire
And the 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
They took John Henry to the graveyard
Six feet under the sand
And every time a freight train would come a-rollin' by
They say, Yonder lies a steel-driving man, Lord, Lord
Yonder lies a steel-driving man
Demo Videos
Bryan Sutton & Billy Strings "John Henry"
T Shaw's Progressive Bluegrass
John Henry by Midnight Run
Midnight Run
Foghorn Stringband - John Henry - Floyd Country Store, Floyd, VA
Floyd Country Store
❝John Henry : Steel Driving Man❞ bluegrass with the ❛Foggy Hogtown Boys❜ ⑤ Hornby Hoedown '13
RICARDOPACIFICO
About This Song
John Henry is one of America's most enduring folk ballads, telling the tragic story of a steel-driving man who raced against a steam drill. Doc Watson's powerful flatpicking version became definitive in bluegrass, though the song has been recorded by countless artists across genres since the late 1800s.
