[Intro]
A work song is when you sing, that gives you a feeling, keep you from gettin' tired
And when you get hungry, if you sing, you won't—you forget about being hungry
And when you sing, you swing as you sing, and that's what you call a work song, it's a feeling
John Henry was a steel-driving man, well that's mighty fine
He was a double-jointed man, I don't guess you don't know that, did you?
That's what made him drive so much steel
He drove steel from Newport News to Cincinnati, Ohio, and he drove that all by hisself
So, I'll tell you a story about it

[Verse 1]
John Henry was a newborn baby
Sittin' down on his mama's knee
Said, "That Big Bend Tunnel on C-and-O Road
It's going to be the death of me, Lord, Lord
It's going be the death of me
It's going to be the death of me, Lord, Lord
It's going to be the death of me

[Verse 2]
John Henry had two women
One was named Mary Magdalene
She would go out on the job and she would sing
Do you hear John Henry's hammer ring? Lord, Lord
Do you hear John Henry's hammer ring?
Do you hear John Henry's hammer ring? Lord, Lord
Do you hear John Henry's hammer ring?
[Verse 3]
John Henry had another little woman
Her name was sweet Polly Ann
John Henry taken sick, boy, and he had to go to bed
Polly Ann drove stole like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly Ann drove steel like a man
Polly Ann drove stole like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly Ann drove steel like a man

[Verse 4]
John Henry was sick, he called Polly Ann to his bedside and this is what he asked her
Baby, who's gonna shoe your little feet?
Baby, who's gonna glove your hand?
Tell me, who's gonna to kiss your sweet little lips?
Tell me, who's gonna be your man? Lord, Lord
Tell me who's gonna be your man
Tell me, who's gonna be your man? Lord, Lord
Tell me who's gonna be your man

[Verse 5]
This is what she told him:
My papa's gonna shoe my little feet
My mama's gonna glove my hand
My sister's gonna kiss my sweet little lip
And you know I don't need no man, Lord, Lord
You know I don't need no man
And you know I don't need no man, Lord, Lord
You know I don't need no man
Talk to 'em now
[Verse 6]
Then they took John Henry to the White House
And they bury him in the sand
And every locomotive come rollin' by, sayin
"There lie that steel-drivin' man" Lord, Lord
"There lie that steel-drivin' man"
"There lie that steel-drivin' man" Oh, Lord
"There lie that steel-drivin' man"