Carried his hammer all the time;

’Fore he’d let the steam drill beat him down,

Die wid his hammer in his han’,

Die wid his hammer in his han’.

John Henry went to the mountain,

Beat that steam drill down;

Rock was high, po’ John was small,

Well, he laid down his hammer an’ he died,

Laid down his hammer an’ he died.

John Henry was a little babe