Chords:
{t: John Henry [E] }
{key: E}
{artist:Woody Guthrie}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE307ZO3AvM many lyric variations
{c: }
Well, John [E7] Henry was a little baby, sittin' on his papa’s [B7] knee
Well he [E7] picked up a hammer and [A7] little piece of steel,
Said, "[E7] Hammer's gonna be the death of [A7] me, Lord, Lord;
[E7] Hammer's gonna be the [B7] death of [E7] me"
{c: }
Now the [E7] captain he said to John Henry,
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill a[B7]round
I'm gonna [E7] bring that steam drill [A7] out on the job
I'm [E7] gonna whup that steel on [A7] down, Lord, Lord
[E7] Gonna knock that [B7] steel on [E7] down"
{c: }
John [E7] Henry told his captain, "Lord, man ain't nothin' but a [B7] man
Before I [E7] let your steam drill [A7] beat me down
I'm [E7] gonna die with a hammer in my [A7] hand, Lord, Lord
[E7] Die with a hammer [B7] in my [E7] hand"
{c: }
John [E7] Henry said to his shaker, "Shaker, why don't you [B7] sing?
'Cause [E7] I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my [A7] hips on down
Yeah, [E7] listen to my cold steel [A7] ring, Lord, Lord
[E7] Listen to my [B7] cold steel [E7] ring"
{c: }
Well, captain [E7] said to John Henry, "I believe the mountain’s caving[B7] in"
John [E7] Henry said right back [A7] to the captain,
“Aint [E7] nothing but my hammer sucking [A7] wind, Lord, Lord
[E7] Aint nothing but my [B7] hammer sucking [E7] wind "
{c: }
Now John [E7] Henry, he hammered in the mountains, His hammer was striking [B7] fire
But he [E7] worked so hard, he [A7] broke his poor heart
And he [E7] laid down his hammer and he [A7] died, Lord, Lord
[E7] He laid down his [B7] hammer and [E7] died
{c: }
Well every, [E7] every Monday morning, when the bluebird he begin to [B7] sing
You can [E7] hear John Henry from a [A7] mile or more
You can [E7] hear John Henry's hammer [A7] ring, Lord, Lord
[E7] You can hear John Henry's [B7] hammer [E7] ring
{c: }
say it again!:
So [E7] you can hear John Henry's hammer [A7] ring, Lord, Lord
[E7] You can hear John Henry's [B7] hammer [E7] ring
