There once was a time when the country was wild, 

A time before cars, and planes, and mini-vans, 

So to move things from one place to the other, the railway was built. 

But, it didn't up and build itself, no, 

It was built by the railroad men. 



And among these men was a man among men, among men, among men, among men, among men, 

A man as tall as the sky and a wide as the land, 

A man who could lay track, faster than anyone could run. 

A man with the strength of ten men. 



His name was Jon Henry, 

And I'm not gonna sing about him, no, 

I'm gonna sing about a lesser known digger, 

One who doesn't deserve a song, 

A man a lazy as a thousand men, 

A man who could barely lift his own body off the ground, 

A man who was barely a man at all. 



His name was Mike McCormick. 



Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man 

Who never really gave a damn 

Only thing he worked on was his tan 

Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man 



He'd get up in the morning 

To hammer in them spikes 

Unless he'd been up 

Drinking the previous night 



Or if his bones 

Weren't feeling right 

Or if it looked like 

It was going to rain 



He had a tendency of 

Being late for work 

And everyone around 

Thought he was a jerk 



He'd take long breaks and 

Say his back was hurt 

And then he'd have 

A drink to ease the pain 



Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man 

Who never really gave a damn 

Only thing he worked on was his tan 

Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man 



His arms were like twigs and 

His legs were like straws 

His hands like a baby's bum 

They were so soft 



He'd wheeze and moan 

And whine and cough 

Then go home 

And take a little nap 



He never got fired 

Cuz he was the boss' son 

He just hung around 

And bothered everyone 



Never drove a spike 

Not a single one 

Though every now and then 

He'd give a tap 



Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man 

Who never really gave a damn 

Only thing he worked on was his tan 

Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man 



So he took his hammer and 

Hammered one time 

(*ting!* Ow!) 

He took his hammer and 

Hammered two times 



(*ting! ting!* Ooh!) 

He took his hammer and 

Hammered three times 



(*ting! ting! ting!* Ohhh!) 

Then he got crushed 

By a meteor and died. 



Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man 

Who never really gave a damn 

Only thing he worked on was his tan 

Mike McCormick was a steel drivin' man