The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer (Remastered 2019)-Johnny Cash/The Carter Family

[ti:The Legend Of John Henry's Ham] [ar:Johnny Cash] [al:Johnny Cash - 16 Biggest Hits] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]The Legend Of John Henry's Hammer (Remastered 2019) - Johnny Cash/The Carter Family [00:19.34]John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight [00:23.15] [00:23.77]He said "'Fore the sheriff comes I wanna tell you listen boy" [00:28.89]Said "Learn to ball a jack learn to lay a track [00:33.26]Learn to pick and shovel too and take my hammer [00:37.82]It'll do anything you tell it to" [00:41.26] [00:42.27]John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies [00:47.12]John Henry's pappy broke jail about a dozen times [00:51.55] [00:52.36]The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money [00:57.24]He said "I'll pay you a quarter at a time startin' tomorrow [01:01.97]That's the pay for a steel driver on this line" [01:05.72] [01:06.55]Then the section foreman said "Hey hammer swinger [01:11.19] [01:11.87]I see you brought your own hammer boy [01:13.70]But what else can all those muscles do [01:15.32]And he said "I can turn a jack I can lay a track [01:20.44]I can pick and shovel too" [01:23.53]Can you swing a hammer boy [01:24.80]Yes sir I'll do anything you hire me to [01:27.80] [01:36.10]Now ain't you somethin' [01:37.41] [01:38.10]So high and mighty wif your muscles [01:41.54]Just go ahead boy and pick up that hammer [01:44.09]Pick up the hammer [01:45.78]He said "Get a rusty spike and swing it down three times [01:50.47]I'll pay you a nickel a day for every inch you sink it to [01:54.89]Go on and do what you say you can do" [01:57.75] [01:59.00]With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch handle [02:03.31]John Henry raised it back 'til it touched his heels then [02:07.17] [02:07.86]The spike went through the cross tie and it split it half in two [02:12.42]Thirty-five cents a day for drivin' steel [02:15.36]Sweat sweat boy sweat you owe me two more swings [02:19.54]I was born for driven steel [02:21.88] [02:28.27]Well John Henry hammered in the mountain [02:32.27]He'd give a grunt he'd give a groan with every swing [02:36.83]The women folks for miles around heard him and come down [02:41.57]To watch him make the cold steel ring Lord what a swinger [02:45.05] [02:45.65]Just listen to that cold steel ring [02:48.69] [02:53.01]But the bad boss come up laughin' at John Henry [02:56.58] [02:57.21]Said "You full of vinegar now but you about through [03:01.09] [03:02.03]We gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin' [03:06.33]Then what's all them muscles gonna do Huh John Henry [03:10.83]Gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you" [03:13.26] [03:14.51]John Henry said "I feed four little brothers [03:18.18] [03:18.80]And baby sister's walkin' on her knees [03:22.18] [03:23.74]Did the Lord say that machines oughtta take the place of livin' [03:29.83] [03:31.02]And what's a substitute for bread and beans I ain't seen it [03:36.97]Do engines get rewarded for their steam " [03:40.90] [03:54.82]John Henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner nap [03:59.20]Had thirty minutes to rest before the bell [04:02.28] [04:03.40]The mine boss hollered "Get up whoever you are and get a pick axe [04:08.10]Give me enough coal to start another hell and keep it burnin' [04:11.46] [04:12.12]Mine me enough to start another hell" [04:14.57] [04:16.02]John Henry said to his captain " A man ain't nothin' but a man [04:23.38] [04:24.39]But if you'll bring that steam drill round I'll beat it fair and honest [04:29.06]I'll die with my hammer in my hand but I'll be laughin' [04:33.19]'Cuz you can't replace a steel drivin' man" [04:35.94] [04:37.42]There was a big crowd of people at the mountain [04:40.61] [04:41.74]John Henry said to the steam drill "How is you [04:44.86] [04:46.00]Pardon me mister steam drill I suppose you didn't hear me" [04:48.82]I said "How're you " [04:50.23] [04:51.12]Well can you turn a jack can you lay a track [04:56.60]Can you pick and shovel too [05:00.04] [05:00.60]Listen this hammer swinger's talkin' to you [05:03.65] [05:27.70]Two thousand people hollered "Go John Henry" [05:31.66]Then somebody hollered "The mountain's caving in" [05:35.64]John Henry told the captain "Tell the kind folks don't worry [05:39.65]That ain't nothin' but my hammer suckin' wind it keeps me breathin' [05:43.74]A steel driver's muscle I intend" [05:46.73] [05:52.29]Captain tell the people move back further [05:55.18] [05:56.05]I'm at the finish line and there ain't no drill [06:00.06]It's so far behind but yet ain't got the brains to quit it [06:04.21]When she blows up she'll scatter 'cross the hills Lord lordy [06:08.34]When she blows up she'll scatter 'cross the hills [06:11.96] [06:23.32]Well John Henry had a little woman [06:27.44]I believe the lady's name was Polly Ann [06:31.81]Yeah that was his good woman [06:33.74]John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home [06:37.70]He laid down to rest his weary back and early next mornin' [06:40.84]He said "Come here Polly Ann come here sugar [06:45.51]Ya know I believe this is the first time I ever watched [06:47.69]The sun come up that I couldn't come up" [06:50.44]"Take my hammer Polly Ann and go to that railroad [06:53.56]Swing that hammer like you seen me do it [06:55.81]And when you're swingin' with the lead man [06:57.93]They'll all know they'll all know you're John Henry's woman [07:00.92]But but tell them ain't all you can do" [07:03.58]"Tell 'em I can hoist a jack and I can lay a track [07:08.96]I can pick and shovel too ain't no machine can [07:14.34]That's been proved to you" [07:17.21] [07:28.75]There was a big crowd of mourners at the church house [07:33.56]The section hands laid him in the sand [07:38.05]Trains go by on the rails John Henry laid [07:43.26]They slow down and take off their hats the men do [07:46.53]When they come to the place where John Henry's layin' [07:49.03]Restin' his back some of 'em say "Mornin' steel driver [07:53.40]You sure was a hammer swinger" [07:55.71]Then they go on by pickin' up a little speed [07:57.79]Clickity clack clickity clack clickity clack clickity clack [08:01.86]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord [08:05.99]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man [08:10.19]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord [08:14.28]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man [08:16.90] [08:18.54]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man oh Lord [08:22.66]Yonder lies a steel drivin' man