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John Henry

from Hard Times by Kike Jambalaya

/

lyrics

JOHN HENRY (Tradicional)

JOHN HENRY HE COULD HAMMER,

HE COULD WHISTLE, HE COULD SING
HE WENT TO THE MOUNTAIN EARLY IN THE MORNIN'

JUST TO HEAR HIS HAMMER RING, LORD, LORD

JUST TO HEAR HIS HAMMER RING.


WHEN JOHN HENRY WAS A LITTLE BABY,

SITTIN' ON HIS DADDY'S KNEE

HE PICKED UP A HAMMER, A LITTLE PIECE OF STEEL,

SAID HAMMER BE THE DEATH OF ME, LORD, LORD

SAID HAMMER BE THE DEATH OF ME


WHEN JOHN HENRY'S FAM'LY NEEDED MONEY,

SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE BUT A DIME

IF YOU WAIT 'TIL THE RED SUN GOES DOWN

I'LL GET IT FROM THE MAN IN THE MINE, LORD, LORD

I'LL GET IT FROM THE MAN IN THE MINE


WELL JOHN HENRY WENT TO THE CAPTAIN

SAID THE CAPTAIN, WHAT CAN YOU DO

I CAN HOIST A JACK, I CAN LAY A TRACK

I CAN PICK AND SHOVEL TOO, LORD, LORD

I CAN PICK AND SHOVEL TOO


WELL THE CAPTAIN SAID TO JOHN HENRY,

I´M GONNA BRING ME A STEAM DRILL 'ROUND

GONNA BRING ME A STEAM DRILL OUT ON THE JOB

I´M GONNA WHUP THAT STEEL ON DOWN,LORD,LORD

WHUP THAT STEEL ON DOWN

WELL JOHN HENRY SAID TO THE CAPTAIN,

LOOKA YONDER WHAT I SEE,

HOLE DONE CHOKE, DRILL DONE BROKE,

AND YOU CAN'T DRIVE STEEL LIKE ME, LORD, LORD

CAN'T DRIVE STEEL LIKE ME 
OH NO,
YOU CAN'T DRIVE STEEL LIKE ME, NO NO

CAN'T DRIVE STEEL LIKE ME

WELL JOHN HENRY DROVE INTO THE MOUNTAIN,

HIS HAMMER WAS STRIKIN' FIRE

HE DROVE SO HARD HE BROKE HIS POOR HEART


AND HE LAID DOWN HIS HAMMER AND HE DIED, LORD, LORD

LAID DOWN HIS HAMMER AND HE DIED

HE LAID DOWN HIS HAMMER AND HE DIED, GREAT GOD

LAID DOWN HIS HAMMER AND HE DIED
OH THEY TOOK JOHN HENRY TO THE WHITE HOUSE

AND THEY BURIED HIM IN THE SAND

EVERY LOCOMOTIVE COME ROARIN' BY 
SAYS
THERE LIES A STEEL DRIVIN' MAN, LORD, LORD

THERE LIES A STEEL DRIVIN' MAN

SAYS THERE LIES A STEEL DRIVIN' MAN, LORD, LORD

THERE LIES A STEEL DRIVIN' MAN
SAYS THERE LIES A STEEL DRIVIN' MAN, LORD, LORD
THERE LIES A STEEL DRIVIN' MAN

credits

from Hard Times, released May 16, 2016
John Henry (Tradicional)
Kike Jambalaya – vocal, dobro, acoustic guitar, piano
David Gwynn – Rhythm and lead guitar
Héctor Oliveira – bass
Javier Iñigo – drums

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Kike Jambalaya image

Kike Jambalaya Madrid, Spain

Singer, pianist and composer born in Madrid.

From 1989 to now, 2019 his musical activity has not stopped. Rock and roll, blues, country, swing, boogie.

He decided to hold an "American Trilogy" between 2013 and 2018: "Back Home Again", "Hard Times" and "Rock'n'Roll, Brother!"

Now in its 30th anniversary, it is the turn to an album in Spanish with its own compositions: "Betrayers Times" ... more

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