Chords for The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer

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_ [Eb] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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_ [Ab] _ John Henry's papi woke him up one midnight.
He said, for the sheriff comes, I [Eb] want to tell you, listen boy.
Said [Ab] learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too.
And take my hammer, it'll do [Eb] anything you tell it [Ab] to.
_ _ [E] John [Ab] Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies.
_ John Henry's papi broke jail about a dozen [Eb] times. _
[Ab] The babies all got sick when the doctor wanted money.
He said, I'll pay you a quarter at a time, startin' tomorrow.
That's a pay for [Eb] a steel driver on his [Ab] line.
_ _ Then the section foreman said, hey, hammer swinger, _ _ I see you brought your own hammer,
boy, but what else can all them muscles do?
And he said, I can turn a jack, I can lay a track, I can pick and shovel too.
Can you swing a hammer, boy?
Yes, sir.
[Eb] I'll do anything you [Ab] hire me to.
_ _ [Abm] _ _ _ _
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ Ain't you something so high and mighty with your muscle?
Just go [Eb] ahead, boy, and pick up that hammer.
Pick up the hammer.
[Ab] He said, get a rusted spike and swing it down three times.
I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it too.
Go on and [Eb] do what you say [Ab] you will do.
_ With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch handle,
_ John Henry raised it back till it touched his heels.
The spike went through the cross tie and split it half in two.
Thirty-five cents a day for driving steel.
Sweat, sweat, boy, sweat.
You owe me two more swings.
I was born to drive steel.
_ _ [F] _
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_ Well, John Henry hammered in the mountain.
He'd give a grunt and he'd give a groan with [C] every swing.
_ [F] The women folks for miles around [Bb] heard him and [F] come down.
Still watching him make the coal steel ring.
Lord, what a swinger.
Just listening to [C] that coal [F] steel ring.
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
But the fat boss come up laughing at John Henry. _
Said, you're full of vinegar now, but [Eb] you bow through. _
[Ab] You're going to get a steam drill to do [Eb] your share driving.
Then what's all them muscles going to do, huh, John Henry?
Going to take a little bit of vinegar [Ab] out of you. _ _
John Henry said, I feed four little brothers and baby sisters walking on [Eb] their knees. _
Did the [Ab] Lord say that machines [Db] ought to take the [Ab] place of living?
_ And what's a substitute for bread and beans?
I ain't seen it. _
Do engines get [D] rewarded [Eb] for their steam?
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _
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John Henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner nap. _
Had 30 minutes to rest before [Eb] the bell. _
The [Ab] mine boss hollered, get up, whoever you are, and get a pickaxe.
Give me enough coal to start another hill and keep it burning.
Mine me enough to start another hill. _
John Henry said to his captain, _ a man ain't nothing [Eb] but a man.
But [Ab] if you bring that steam drill around, I'll beat it fair enough.
I'll die with my hammer in my hand, but I'll be laughing.
Because you can't replace a steel driving man.
_ There was a big crowd of people at the mountain.
_ John Henry said to the steam [Eb] drill, how is you?
_ [Ab] Pardon me, Mr.
Steam Drill, I suppose you didn't hear me.
I said, how are you? _ _
Well, can you turn the jack?
Can you lay a track?
Can you pick and shovel too?
Listen to those hammer swingers [Eb] talking to you.
[Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ [A] _ _
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_ _ _ _ _ [C] _ _ _
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_ _ _ Two thousand people hollered, go John Henry!
Then somebody hollered, _ _
[G] _ _ John [F] Henry told the captain, tell the kind folks [Fm] don't worry.
It ain't nothing but my hammer sucking wind.
[F] It keeps me breathing.
This steel [C] driver's muscle, [F] I ain't ten.
_ [Ab] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ Captain, tell the people move back further. _
I'm at the finish line [Eb] and there ain't no drilling. _
[Ab] It's so far behind, but yet ain't got the brains to quit it.
When she blows up, she'll scatter across the hills, Lord, Lord.
When she blows up, she'll scatter across the hills. _ _ _
_ [F] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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_ Well, John Henry had a little woman.
_ I believe the lady's name was Polly [C] Ann.
_ Yeah, that was his good woman.
John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home.
He laid down to rest his weary back and [F] early next morning he said,
[D] Come here, Polly Ann.
Come here, sugar.
You know, I believe this is the first time I ever watched the sun come up that I couldn't come up.
_ Take my hammer, Polly Ann, and go to that railroad.
_ Swing that hammer like you seen me do it.
And when you're swinging with the lead man, they'll all know.
They'll all know you, John Henry's woman, but tell them that ain't all you can do.
Tell them [F] I can hoist a jack [Bb] and I can [F] rate a track.
I can pick and shovel too.
Ain't no machine can. _
That's [C] been [F] proved to you. _ _
_ _ [Abm] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [Ab] _ _ _ _ _ There was a big crowd of mourners at the church house.
The section hands laid in [Eb] the sand. _ _
[Ab] Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid. _
_ They slow down, they take off the hats, the men do,
when they come to the place where John Henry's laying, resting his back.
Some of them say, morning steel driver.
You sure was a hammer swinger.
Then they go on by picking up a little speed.
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack.
Tell them I can see you.
I can see _ _ [Eb] _ [Ab] you.
_ _ _ Love the love [F] that's cool, the love that's cool.
[F] _ Love the love that's cool, the love that's cool.
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