The Legend of John Henry's Hammer - Johnny Cash

The Legend of John Henry's Hammer LRC歌词

[00:18.68]John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight

[00:23.02]He said Fore the sheriff comes

[00:25.14]I wanna tell you listen boy

[00:28.07]Said Learn to ball a jack

[00:30.85]Learn to lay a track

[00:32.85]Learn to pick

[00:34.15]And shovel too

[00:35.73]And take my hammer

[00:37.27]It'll do anything you tell it to

[00:41.63]John Henry's mammy had

[00:43.56]About a dozen babies

[00:46.49]John Henry's pappy broke jail

[00:48.57]About a dozen times

[00:51.83]The babies all got sick

[00:53.79]And when the doctor wanted money

[00:56.71]He said I'll pay you a quarter

[00:58.93]At a time startin' tomorrow

[01:01.53]That's the pay for a steel driver

[01:03.78]On this line

[01:06.16]Then the section foreman

[01:07.63]Said Hey hammer swinger

[01:10.82]I see you brought your own hammer boy

[01:12.57]But what else can all those muscles do

[01:14.79]And he said

[01:15.99]I can turn a jack

[01:18.19]I can lay a track

[01:19.94]I can pick and shovel too

[01:23.06]Can you swing a hammer boy

[01:24.62]Yes sir I'll do anything you hire me to

[01:35.97]Now ain't you somethin'

[01:38.08]So high and mighty wif your muscles

[01:41.50]Just go ahead boy and pick up that hammer

[01:44.01]Pick up the hammer

[01:45.83]He said Get a rusty spike

[01:47.83]And swing it down three times

[01:50.48]I'll pay you a nickel a day

[01:52.21]For every inch you sink it to

[01:54.88]Go on and do what you say you can do

[01:59.02]With a steep nose hammer

[02:00.43]On a four foot switch handle

[02:03.30]John Henry raised it back 'til

[02:04.90]It touched his heels then

[02:07.96]The spike went through the cross tie

[02:09.82]And it split it half in two

[02:12.50]Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel

[02:15.24]Sweat sweat boy

[02:17.27]Sweat you owe me two more swings

[02:19.62]I was born for driven steel

[02:28.35]Well John Henry hammered in the mountain

[02:32.37]He'd give a grunt he'd give a groan

[02:34.31]With every swing

[02:36.94]The women folks for miles around heard him

[02:40.17]And come down

[02:41.51]To watch him make the cold steel ring Lord

[02:44.46]What a swinger

[02:45.92]Just listen to that cold steel ring

[02:53.24]But the bad boss come up laughin' at John Henry

[02:57.39]Said You full of vinegar now

[02:59.32]But you about through

[03:02.15]We gonna get a steam drill to do

[03:04.75]Your share of drivin'

[03:06.51]Then what's all them muscles gonna do

[03:09.37]Huh John Henry

[03:10.95]Gonna take a little bit of vinegar

[03:12.70]Out of you

[03:14.75]John Henry said I feed four little brothers

[03:19.13]And baby sister's walkin' on her knees

[03:24.00]Did the Lord say that

[03:26.27]Machines oughtta take the place of livin'

[03:31.27]And what's a substitute for bread and beans

[03:35.35]I ain't seen it

[03:37.25]Do engines get rewarded for their steam

[03:54.65]John Henry hid in a coal mine

[03:56.32]For his dinner nap

[03:59.06]Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell

[04:03.23]The mine boss hollered Get up

[04:05.60]Whoever you are and get a pick axe

[04:07.84]Give me enough coal to start another hell

[04:10.26]And keep it burnin'

[04:11.96]Mine me enough to start another hell

[04:15.94]John Henry said to his captain

[04:20.38]A man ain't nothin' but a man

[04:24.28]But if you'll bring that steam drill round

[04:26.74]I'll beat it fair and honest

[04:28.96]I'll die with my hammer in my hand

[04:31.90]But I'll be laughin'

[04:33.17]'Cuz you can't replace a steel drivin' man

[04:37.44]There was a big crowd of people

[04:39.56]At the mountain

[04:41.78]John Henry said to the steam drill

[04:43.93]How is you

[04:46.01]Pardon me mister steam drill

[04:47.41]I suppose you didn't hear me

[04:48.41]I said How're you

[04:51.18]Well can you turn a jack can you lay a track

[04:56.60]Can you pick and shovel too

[05:00.68]Listen this hammer swinger's talkin' to you

[05:27.95]Two thousand people hollered Go John Henry

[05:31.95]Then somebody hollered The mountain's caving in

[05:36.01]John Henry told the captain

[05:38.04]Tell the kind folks don't worry

[05:39.99]That ain't nothin'

[05:40.47]But my hammer suckin' wind it

[05:42.58]Keeps me breathin'

[05:44.25]A steel driver's muscle I intend

[05:52.63]Captain tell the people move back further

[05:56.35]I'm at the finish line

[05:57.75]And there ain't no drill

[06:00.40]It's so far behind

[06:01.78]But yet ain't got the brains to quit it

[06:04.61]When she blows up

[06:05.55]She'll scatter 'cross the hills Lord lordy

[06:08.56]When she blows up

[06:09.27]She'll scatter 'cross the hills

[06:23.26]Well John Henry had a little woman

[06:27.36]I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann

[06:31.78]Yeah that was his good woman

[06:33.66]John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder

[06:35.76]And went on home

[06:37.68]He laid down to rest his weary back

[06:39.68]And early next mornin'

[06:40.65]He said Come here Polly Ann come here sugar

[06:45.03]Ya know I believe this is the first time

[06:46.90]I ever watched

[06:47.76]The sun come up that I couldn't come up

[06:50.61]Take my hammer Polly Ann

[06:51.82]And go to that railroad

[06:53.53]Swing that hammer like you seen me do it

[06:55.94]And when you're swingin' with the lead man

[06:57.89]They'll all know

[06:59.19]They'll all know you're John Henry's woman

[07:01.60]But but tell them ain't all you can do

[07:03.35]Tell 'em I can hoist a jack

[07:06.64]And I can lay a track

[07:08.99]I can pick

[07:10.04]And shovel too ain't no machine can

[07:14.46]That's been proved to you

[07:26.88]There was a big crowd of mourners

[07:28.95]At the church house

[07:31.64]The section hands laid him in the sand

[07:36.13]Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid

[07:41.43]They slow down

[07:42.88]And take off their hats the men do

[07:44.32]When they come to the place

[07:45.57]Where John Henry's layin'

[07:46.72]Restin' his back some of 'em

[07:48.73]Say Mornin' steel driver

[07:51.62]You sure was a hammer swinger

[07:53.97]Then they go on by pickin' up

[07:55.06]A little speed

[07:55.59]Clickity clack

[07:56.97]Clickity clack

[07:57.32]Clickity clack

[07:58.65]Clickity clack

[07:59.88]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord

[08:04.27]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man

[08:08.14]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord

[08:12.32]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man

[08:16.47]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord

[08:20.00]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man