Folk Blues: John Henry - Big Bill Broonzy

Yeah!

Johnny told his old Captain

'Man, a-when you go downtown

Bring me back the nine pounds hammer'

I got to drive this steel on down

I got to drive this steel on down

You see, Johnny’s hammer

Hit the mighty boiler

The hammer caught on fire

Now, the last word I heard

The poor boy say

'I want a cool drink a-water 'fore I die'

'Yeah, a cool drink a-water 'fore I die'

Yeah, Johnny’s wife

She heard that Johnny was dead

And she couldn’t have stayed in bed

Oh, now Monday mornin'

Caught the eastbound train

She said, I’m g’wine where my man fell dead

'Yeah!

I’m goin' where my man fell dead'

('Look out!')

(harmonica & instrumental)

Woo-ha!

Woo-ha!

Woo!

Woo!

Woo!

(Woo! Lord, have mercy, too)

(Ease your mind)

(Yeah!)

Johnny’s wife, she wore

A brand new dress (say)

And it was trimmed in blue

(Pretty thing)

Yeah, the last were the words

Said to him, oh Lord, now

'Honey, I been good to you'

'Yeah, honey I been good to you'

Well, they carried Little John

To the graveyard (boys, listen)

They looked at him good and long

Now, the last were the words

If you hear me, oh Lord

'Oh my husband, he is dead and gone'

That’s what she said

She said, 'My husband, he is dead and gone'

'Yeah, my husband he is dead and gone'

Yeah, when John Henry was a baby

You could hold him in the paddles of your hand

When everytime they’d rock him, cried

(They say 'He sho' gonna be a little man')

('Yeah, he sho' gon' be a little man')

Yeah, who gonna buy yo' pretty shoes then?

And who gonna roll yo' cheek?

FADES-

She said, 'My daddy gonna buy my pretty lil'

And John Henry gonna roll my cheek

And John Henry gonna roll my cheek

(That what it said)

A-John Henry gonna roll my cheek.