John Henry

John Henry a song by Roscoe Holcomb on Foxsoundi — Free Music, Smart Streaming for Everyone

John Henry Lyrics

John Henry was a small little boy
Sat down on his pa's old knee
He picked up a hammer and a little pin
Gonna be the death of me, oh boy
Gonna be the death of me

John Henry walked through the mine one day
With a steam mule upon his side
Lord, the miner was so tall, John, he was so fine
He laid down his hammer and he cried
Lord, he laid down his hammer and he cried

John Henry turned his shaker bowl
And he said, "Son, you better pray
'Cause if I miss that old six-foot steel
Tomorrow they'll bury me
Tomorrow they'll bury me"

John Henry turned his cap one day
Said, "Son, just the Tennessee man
If before I let that old steel beat me down
Lord, I'll salvage my hammer in my hand
Lord, I'll salvage my hammer in my hand"

John Henry hammered in the mine one more
'Til his hammer it caught on fire
The last word he ever taught to say
Was "Cool, drank, cold water, pour it down
Cool, drank, cold water, pour it down"

From the album: Friends of Old Time Music: The Folk Arrival 1961-1965

I'm Troubled by Doc and Arnold Watson , Doc Watson , Arnold Watson ,
Hell among the Yearlings by Arthur Smith , Fiddlin' Arthur Smith ,
My Creole Belle by Mississippi John Hurt ,
The Country Blues by Dock Boggs ,
Amelia Earhart's Last Flight by Greenbriar Boys ,
Guitar Lesson by Jesse Fuller ,
The Brakeman's Blues by Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys , Bill Monroe ,
Going Down to the River by Mississippi Fred McDowell ,
Cincinnati Blues by Jesse Fuller ,
Foggy Mountain Top by Mother Maybelle Carter ,
East Virginia Blues by Roscoe Holcomb ,
Poor Boy in Jail by Dock Boggs ,
Hicks' Farewell by Doc Watson ,
He's Solid Gone by Mother Maybelle Carter ,
The Storms Are on the Ocean by Mother Maybelle Carter ,
Jordan is a Hard Road to Travel by The New Lost City Ramblers ,
The Dream of the Miner's Child by The Stanley Brothers ,
Maggie Walker Blues by The Clarence Ashley Group , Clarence Ashley ,
Chevrolet by Ed Young and Emma Ramsay , Ed Young , Emma Ramsay ,
Write Me a Few of Your Lines by Mississippi Fred McDowell ,
Soldier's Joy by Hobart Smith ,
Bimini Gal by Joseph Spence ,
Coffee Blues by Mississippi John Hurt ,
Rising Sun Blues by Roscoe Holcomb ,
Lord, Build Me a Cabin in Glory by Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys , Bill Monroe ,
Shady Grove by Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys , Bill Monroe ,
Live and Let Live by Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys , Bill Monroe ,
Grey Eagle by Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys , Bill Monroe ,
Frankie and Albert by Mississippi John Hurt ,
Lonely Tombs by The Watson Family ,
Walkin' the Dog by Bill Monroe & His Blue Grass Boys , Bill Monroe ,
Hard Times by The Stanley Brothers ,
Rockin' Boogie by Jesse Fuller ,
San Francisco Bay Blues by Jesse Fuller ,
The Miller's Will by Horton Barker ,
Brown's Dream by Gaither Carlton and Doc Watson , Gaither Carlton , Doc Watson ,
Short Life of Trouble by Doc and Arnold Watson , Doc Watson , Arnold Watson ,
The Coo Coo Bird by Clarence Ashley ,
Down South Blues by Dock Boggs ,
Double File by Gaither Carlton and Doc Watson , Gaither Carlton , Doc Watson ,
Knoxville Blues by Sam McGee ,
John Henry by Roscoe Holcomb ,
Have a Feast Here Tonight by The Stanley Brothers ,
Kneelin' Down Inside the Gate by Stanley Thompson ,
Riley by John Davis and the Georgia Sea Island Singers , John Davis , Georgia Sea Island Singers ,
Tell Me Why You Like Roosevelt by McKinley Peebles ,
Buck and Wing by Jesse Fuller ,
Bury Me under the Weeping Willow by Mother Maybelle Carter ,
Mansions for Me by The Stanley Brothers ,
Before This Time Another Year by Bessie Jones and the Georgia Sea Island Singers , Bessie Jones , Georgia Sea Island Singers ,