John Henry was just a little bitty boy   No bigger than the palm of your hand   His mammy looked down at John Henry and say   Johnny you're gonna be a steal drivin' man Lord lord   Johnny you're gonna be a steal drivin' man      John Henry he said to his Captain Captain I wanna hear you sing   I'll swing forty-nine pounds from my hips on down   I like to hear that cold steel ring Lord Lord I like to hear that cold steel ring   [ guitar ]   John Henry had a little woman and her name was Polly Ann   John Henry he got sick and he had to go to bed   But Polly drove the steel like a man Lord Lord Polly drove the steel like a man      John Henry went to the tunnel to drive steam hammer by his side   Well he beat that drill till the end of the tunnel   Laid down his hammer and he cried Lord Lord laid down his hammer and he cried   [ guitar - steel ]   John Henry drove the steel on that mountain till his hammer caught on fire   And the last words we heard John Henry say   Cool drink of water before I die Lord Lord a cool drink of water before I die      Well they took John Henry to the graveyard stuck him six feet under the sand   Everytime the freight train that go puffin' by   They say there lies a steel drivin' man Lord Lord yonder lies a steel drivin' man