[00:00:20] John Henry's Papy woke him up one midnight [00:00:23] He said before the serrif comes i wanna tell you, listen boy, [00:00:28] Said learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track, [00:00:32] Learn to pick and shovel too, and take my hammer [00:00:36] It'll do anything you tell it to [00:00:40] John Hery's mammie had about a dozen babies, [00:00:44] John Henry's papie told tale about a dozen times [00:00:48] The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money, [00:00:52] He siad i'll pay you quarter at a time, sartin tommorow, [00:00:56] Thats the pay for a steel driver on this line [00:01:00] Then the section foreman said hey hammer swinger, [00:01:04] I see you brought you own hammer boy, but what else can all those muscles do? [00:01:08] And he said, I can turn a jack, i can lay a track, i can pick a shovel too [00:01:18] I can i'll do anything oyu hire me to [00:01:26] Now ain't you something so high and mighty with your muscles, [00:01:29] Just go ahead pick up that hammer, pick up the hammer [00:01:34] He said get a rusty spike and swing it down three times, [00:01:38] I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to, [00:01:42] Go on and do what you say you can do [00:01:45] With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch panel, [00:01:49] John Henry raised it back till it touched his heels, [00:01:52] Then the spike went through the cross tie and it split it half in two, [00:01:58] 35 cents a fay for driven steel, [00:02:01] (sewat sweat boy, sweat, you owe me two more swings) [00:02:03] I was born for driven steel [00:02:10] Well John Henry hammered in the mountain, [00:02:14] He'd give a grunt and he'd give groan with every swing, [00:02:18] The women folks for miles around, heard him and come down, [00:02:22] To watch him make the cold steel ring, lord what a swinger, [00:02:26] Just listen to that cold steel ring, [00:02:32] But the bad boss come up laguhing at John Henry, [00:02:36] Said you full of vinegar now, but you bout through, [00:02:40] Were gona get a steam drill to do your share of driven, [00:02:44] Then whats all them muscles gonna do, huh John Henry, [00:02:48] Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you [00:02:51] John Henry said i feed four little brothers, [00:02:55] And baby sisters walking on her knees, [00:03:00] Did the lord say that machines awtta take the place of living, [00:03:06] And whats a subsitute for bread and beans, i saint seen it, [00:03:11] Do engines get rewarded for their steam [00:03:19] John Henry said to his captain, [00:03:22] A man ain't nothin but a man, [00:03:26] But if you bring that steam drill round, [00:03:28] I'll beat it fair and honest, i'll die with my hammer in my hand, [00:03:33] But i'll be laughing, cuz you can't replace a steel driven man [00:03:38] There was a big crowd of people at the mountain, [00:03:42] John henry said to the steam drill how is you, [00:03:45] Pardon me mister steam drill, i suppose you didnt hear me, [00:03:48] I said how you, [00:03:50] Well can you turn a jack, [00:03:52] Can you lay a track [00:03:54] , can you pick and shovel too, [00:03:57] Listen this hammer swingers talkin to you [00:04:01] Shu shu shu shu shu shu shu shu [00:04:22] 2000 people hollered go John Henry, [00:04:26] Then somebody hollered the mountains caving in, [00:04:29] John Henry told the captain, [00:04:31] Thell the kind fols not to worry, [00:04:32] That ain't nothin but my hammer suckin wind [00:04:35] Keeps me breathing, a steel drivers muscle i intend, [00:04:43] Captain tell the people move back further, [00:04:46] I'm at the finish line and i ain't no drill, [00:04:49] She's so far behind you ain't got the brains to quit it, [00:04:53] When she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills, [00:04:55] Lord lordy, when she blows up she'll scatter cross the hills [00:05:02] Well John Henry had a little woman, [00:05:06] I believe the lady's name was polly ann, [00:05:10] Yeah that was his good woman, [00:05:12] John henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home,