John Henry Chords

Lyrics & chords

[Verse 1]
[F]Joh[Em]n Henry was[E] a l[Em]ittl[F]e baby,
[Em]
[F]Sittin; on his momma's knee,
[Em]Said, "The Big Bend Tunnel on the
[F]C & O R[Gm]oad
[F]Is gonna be the death of me, Lord,
Be the death of me."

[Verse 2]
When [Em]John Henry was a [F]little baby,
[Em]Sittin' on his pop[F]pa's knee,
He took a hammer, a little piece of steel,
Said, "Hammer's gonna [Em]be the [F]death of me, Lord,
Lord
Hammer's gonna [G]be the [F]death of me."
John [E]Henry

[Verse 3]
[Em]had [F]a little woman,
Her name [Em]was Mary Magdalene.
Every [F]day she would sing for John Henry
Just to hear his hammer when it swing,
Lord,
Just to hear his hammer when it swing.

[Verse 4]
[F]And [Em]now the captain
he says to [F]John Henry,
"I'm [Em]gonna bring that steam [F]drill round,
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on the job,
"I'm gonna whop that steel
[G]on down."[F]

[Verse 5]
[Em]
[F]John Henry said to his captain,
"I know a man ain't nothin' but a man,
But before I'll let your [Em]steam
drill beat me [F]down,
I'll die with my hammer in my hand,
Lord,
I'll die with my [Em]hammer
[F]in my hand.

[Verse 6]
John Henry said to his shaker, "Shaker, [F]why don't
you [Em]sing?
[E]And [Em]now I'm throwin' f[F]orty
pounds from my hip [Gm]on down,
[F]Listen to the [Em]cold steel [F]ring, [G]Lawdy, Lawdy,
[F]Listen to the cold steel ring."

[Verse 7]
John Henry said to his captain, [F]"Looky
yonder what I see- -
Steam drill broke, your hole done choke,
You can't drive steel like me, Lord,
[G]You [Gm]can'[F]t drive
steel like me."

[Verse 8]
[F]John Henry a- workin'
on the mountain,
Hammer was a- strikin' fire,
But he worked so hard it broke
[Em]his poor h[F]eart,
He laid down his hammer and he died,
Lawdy,
He lad down his hammer and he died.

[Verse 9]
Now momma's [F]gonna shoe
my pretty little feet,
Poppy gonna glove my hand,
Sister gonna kiss my [F]red, ruby lips,
I don't need [Eb]no man, [F]Lawdy, Lawdy,
Not after my steel- drivin' man,
Lawdy, [F]Lawdy,
Not after my steel- [F]drivin' man.