John Henry, when he was a baby   Settin' on his mammy's knee   Picked up an hammer in his little right hand   Said, "Hammer be the death of me, me, me   Hammer be the death of me"      Some say he's born in Texas   Some say he's born up in Maine   I just say he was a Louisiana man   Leader of a steel-driving chain gang   Leader on a steel-driving gang      Well, the Captain said to John Henry   "I'm gonna bring my steam drill around   Gonna bring my steam drill out on the job   Gonna whup that steel on down, down, down   Whup that steel on down"      John Henry said to the Captain   (What he say?)   "You can bring your steam drill around   You can bring your steam drill out on the job   I'll beat your steam drill down, down, down   Beat your steam drill down"      John Henry said to his Shaker   "Shaker, you had better pray   If you miss your six feet of steel   I'll be your buryin' day, day, day   I'll be your buryin' day"      Now, the Shaker said to John Henry   (Yes sir)   "Man ain't nothing but a man   (No he ain't)   But before I'd let that steam drill beat me down   (I believe him)   I'd die with an hammer in my hand, hand, hand   (I believe him)   I'd die with an hammer in my hand"      John Henry had a little woman   Her name was Polly Anne   John Henry took sick and was laid up in bed   While Polly handled steel like a man, man, man   Polly handled steel like a man      They took John Henry to the graveyard   Laid him down in the sand   Every locomotive comin' a-rolling by   Hollered, there lies a steel-drivin' man, man, man   There lies a steel-drivin' man   There lies a steel-drivin' man, man, man   There lies a steel-drivin' man