John Henry

John Henry é un héroe popular yanki coñecido por competir contra un martelo de vapor e ganar, so para morrer tras a victoria co seu martelo na man. Segundo conta a lenda seu martelo pesaba 9 kg. e john media 1,83 e pesaba 90 kg.
John Henry foi unha representación mítica da clase obreira do seculo 19. Na versión mais popular do conto, o negro John traballaba na construcción da ferrocaril nas montañas do oeste, e cando o dono do ferrrocaril mercou un martelo de vapor para facer o traballo de moitos homes, John retouno a que podia Facelo mellor el e asi salvar o seu emprego e o dos seus compañeiros. John Henry gana á máquina, pero agotado, morre.


Well John Henry was a little baby
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
He picked up a hammer and
a little piece of steel
And cried, "Hammer's gonna
be death of me, Lord, Lord
Hammer's gonna be the death of me"

Now the captain he said to John Henry
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God
I'm gonna knock that steel on down"

John Henry told his captain
"Lord a man ain't noth' but a man
But before I let that steam drill
beat me down I'm gonna die with a hammer
in my hand, Lord, Lord
I'll die with a hammer in my hand"

John Henry driving
on the right side
That steam drill driving
on the left
Says, "Fore I let your
steam drill beat me down
I'm gonna hammer
myself to death, Lord, Lord,
I'll hammer my fool self to death"

Well captain said to John Henry
"What is that storm I hear?"
John Henry said, "That
ain't no storm captain
That's just my hammer
in the air, Lord, Lord
That's just my hammer in the air"

John Henry said to his shaker
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds
from my hips on down
Yeah, listen to my cold steel
ring, Lord Lord

Listen to my cold steel ring"

John Henry he hammered
in the mountains
His hammer was striking fire
But he worked so hard;
it broke his heart
John Henry laid down his hammer
and died, Lord, Lord

John Henry laid down his hammer and died

Well, now John Henry
he had him a woman
By the name of Polly Ann
She walked out to those tracks
Picked up John Henry's hammer
Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
Polly drove that steel like a man

Well every, every Monday morning
When a blue bird he began to sing
You could hear John Henry
from a mile or more
You could hear John Henry's hammer
ring, Lord, Lord
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
I say, You can John Henry's
hammer ring, Lord, Lord
You can John Henry's
hammer ring