Lyrics & Translation
Dive into the world of American folklore with Johnny Cash's 'The Legend of John Henry's Hammer.' This song offers a glimpse into the historical context of the Industrial Revolution. Explore the themes of human versus machine and the unwavering spirit of the working class, all while improving your understanding of folk music and storytelling.
[English]
John Henry's Papy woke him up one midnightHe said before the sheriff comes I wanna tell you, listen boy
Said learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too, and
Take my hammer, it'll do anything you tell it to
John Hery's mammie had about a dozen babies, John Henry's papie told tale about a
Dozen times
The babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money, he said i'll pay you quarter
At a time, startin' tomorow, that's the pay for a steel driver on this line
Then the section foreman said hey hammer swinger, i see you brought your own hammer
Boy, but what else can all those 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?)
I can i'll do anything you hire me to
Now ain't you something so high and mighty with your muscles, just go ahead pick
Up that hammer, pick up the hammer
He said get a rusty spike and swing it down three times, i'll pay you a nickel a
Day for every inch you sink it to, go on and do what you say you can do
With a steep nose hammer on a four foot switch panel, John Henry raised it back till
It touched his heels, then the spike went through the cross tie and it split it half
In two, 35 cents a day for driven steel
(Sweat sweat boy, sweat, you owe me two more swings)
I was born for driven steel
Well John Henry hammered in the mountain, he'd give a grunt and he'd give groan with
Every swing, the women folks for miles around, heard him and come down, to watch him
Make the cold steel ring, lord what a swinger, just listen to that cold steel ring
But the bad boss come up laughing at John Henry, said you full of vinegar now, but
You bout through, were gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin, then what's
All them muscles gonna do, huh John Henry, gonna take a little bit of vinegar out
Of you
John Henry said i feed four little brothers, and my baby sister's walking on her
Knees, did the lord say that machines outta take the place of living, and what's a
Subsitute for bread and beans, I ain't seen it, do engines get rewarded for their
Steam
John Henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner now, had thirty minutes to rest before
The bell, the mine boss hollered get up whoever you are and get a pick ax, 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 nothin but a man, but if you bring that
Steam drill round, i'll beat it fair and honest, i'll die with my hammer in my hand
But I'll be laughing, cuz you can't replace a steel driven man
There was a big crowd of people at the mountain, John Henry said to the steam drill
How is you, pardon me mister steam drill, I suppose you didn't hear me, I said how
You, well can you turn a jack, can you lay a track, can you pick and shovel too, listen
This hammer swingers talkin' to you
2000 people hollered go John Henry, then somebody hollered the mountain's caving
In, John Henry told the captain, tell the kind folks not to worry, that ain't nothin
But my hammer suckin' wind, keeps me breathing, a steel drivers muscle I intend
Captain tell the people move back further, I'm at the finish line and I ain't no
Drill, she's so far behind you ain't got the brains to quit it, when she blows up
She'll scatter cross the hills, lord lordy, when she blows up she'll scatter cross
The hills
Well John Henry had a little woman, i believe the lady's name was Polly Ann, yeah
That was his good woman, John Henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on
Home, he layed down to rest his weary back and early next morining he said come here
Polly Ann come here sugar, ya know I believe this is the first time I ever watched
The sun come up that i couldn't come up with it
Take my hammer Polly Ann and go to that rail road, swing that hammer like you seen
Me do it, and when your swinging with the lead men, they'll all know they'll all know
Your John Henry's woman, but tell them that's ain't all I can do, tell em I can hoist
A jack, and I can lay a track, I can pick and shovel too, ain't no machine can, that's
Been proved to you
There was a big crowd of mourners at the church house, the section hands laid him
In the sand, trains go by on the rails John Henry laid, they slow down and take off
Their hats, the men do, when they come to the palce John Henrys laid, rests on his
Back, some say mornin steel driver you sure were a hammer swinger, then they go along
Pickin up speed, clikty clak, clikty clak, down there lies a steel driven man oh lord
Down there lies a steel driven man, down there lies a steel driven man oh lord, down
There lies a steel driven man
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
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hammer /ˈhæmər/ A1 |
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John Henry /dʒɒn ˈhenri/ B1 |
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steel /stiːl/ B1 |
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swing /swɪŋ/ A2 |
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track /træk/ A2 |
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mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ A1 |
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machine /məˈʃiːn/ A2 |
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lay /leɪ/ A2 |
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boss /bɒs/ A2 |
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muscle /ˈmʌsl/ B1 |
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time /taɪm/ A1 |
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man /mæn/ A1 |
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drive /draɪv/ A2 |
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woman /ˈwʊmən/ A1 |
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said /sed/ A1 |
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hand /hænd/ A1 |
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know /nəʊ/ A1 |
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little /ˈlɪtl/ A1 |
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Key Grammar Structures
-
John Henry's Papy woke him up one midnight
➔ Possessive 's (John Henry's)
➔ The possessive 's shows that the midnight belongs to John Henry's father.
-
Said learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too, and
➔ Imperative verbs (learn)
➔ The verbs 'learn' are used to give commands or instructions.
-
Said learn to ball a jack, learn to lay a track, learn to pick and shovel too, and Take my hammer, it'll do anything you tell it to
➔ Modal verb 'will' (it'll)
➔ The contraction 'it'll' is the contraction of 'it will', expressing future action or prediction.
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Then the section foreman said hey hammer swinger, i see you brought your own hammer Boy, but what else can all those muscles do?
➔ Question with modal verb 'can'
➔ The question uses 'can' to inquire about ability or possibility.
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And he said, I can turn a jack, I can lay a track, I can pick and shovel too
➔ Use of modal verb 'can' for ability.
➔ 'Can' is used to express John Henry's abilities to perform various tasks.
-
Well John Henry hammered in the mountain, he'd give a grunt and he'd give groan with Every swing, the women folks for miles around, heard him and come down, to watch him Make the cold steel ring, lord what a swinger, just listen to that cold steel ring
➔ Past perfect continuous tense (he'd give)
➔ 'He'd give' is a contraction of 'he would give,' indicating a habitual action in the past, emphasizing the continuous nature of the action.
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But the bad boss come up laughing at John Henry, said you full of vinegar now, but You bout through, were gonna get a steam drill to do your share of drivin, then what's All them muscles gonna do, huh John Henry, gonna take a little bit of vinegar out Of you
➔ Contraction 'were gonna'
➔ 'Were gonna' is informal, equivalent to 'were going to', expressing future plans.
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John Henry said i feed four little brothers, and my baby sister's walking on her Knees, did the lord say that machines outta take the place of living, and what's a Subsitute for bread and beans, I ain't seen it, do engines get rewarded for their Steam
➔ Reported speech (did the lord say...)
➔ The phrase 'did the lord say' is an example of reported speech, relaying the content of a possible statement.
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John Henry said to his captain, a man ain't nothin but a man, but if you bring that Steam drill round, i'll beat it fair and honest, i'll die with my hammer in my hand
➔ Conditional sentence (if you bring... i'll beat...)
➔ This sentence uses a conditional structure ('if... then...') to express a consequence based on a condition.
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Captain tell the people move back further, I'm at the finish line and I ain't no Drill, she's so far behind you ain't got the brains to quit it, when she blows up She'll scatter cross the hills, lord lordy, when she blows up she'll scatter cross The hills
➔ Contractions 'I'm', 'I ain't', 'she's', 'you ain't', 'she'll'
➔ The use of contractions is common in spoken English and adds a casual tone. 'I'm' (I am), 'I ain't' (I am not), 'she's' (she is), 'you ain't' (you are not), 'she'll' (she will).
