John Henry told his captain
That a man was nothing but a man
Before he'd let that steam drill run him down
He fought it with his hammer in his hand
Fought it with his hammer in his hand

The captain said to John Henry
"Gonna bring me a steam drill round
Gonna take that steam drill out on the job
Gonna whoop that steel on down
Gonna whoop that steel on down"

The captain said to his shaker
"Shaker, why don't you sing?"
"I'm throwing twelve pounds from the hips on down
Just listen to that cold steel ring
Listen to that cold steel ring"

The captain said to John Henry
"I think this mountain's caving in"
John Henry gave one long and lonesome cry
Said: "That's only my hammer sucking wind
That's only my hammer sucking wind"

John Henry had a little woman
Her name was Polly Ann
When John Henry was a-sick and a-laying in bed
Polly drove steel like a man
Polly drove steel like a man

"Where did you get that dress, gal?
Where did you get those shoes so fine?"
"I got that dress from off a railroad man
And the shoes from a driver in the mine
And shoes from a driver in the mine"

John Henry went down to the railroad
With the twelve-pound hammer by his side
He walked down the track but he didn't come back
'Cos he laid down his hammer and he died
He laid down his hammer and he died