Chord Legend Of John Henrys Hammer by Johnny Cash

capo 1st fret intro : | | : G | G | G | G : | | | G | G | G john henry’s pappy woke him up one midnight . D he said , "before the sheriff comes , i wanna tell you . G C G listen boy , " he said , "learn to ball a jack , learn to lay a track . learn to pick and shovel too . and take my hammer . D G it’ll do anything you tell it to . n . C . G john henry’s mammy had about a dozen babies . D john henry’s pappy broke jail about a dozen times . G C G the babies all got sick and when the doctor wanted money , he said : "i’ll pay you a quarter at a time , startin’ tomorrow . D G that’s pay for a steel driver on this line . " G then the section foreman said , "hey , hammer swinger , n . C . i see you brought your own hammer , boy , but what else can all them muscle do?" G 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" D G "yes sir , i can do anything you hire me to . " G "now , ain’t you somethin’ , so high and mighty with your muscles . just go ahead , boy , and 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 ev’ry inch you sink into . D G go on and do what you say you can do . " G with a steep - nosed hammer on a four foot switch handle , D john henry raised it back till it touched his heels . G C G then the spike went through the crosstie and split it half in two . thirty five cents a day for drivin’ steel . "sweat , sweat boy , sweat . you owe me two more swings . " E "i was born for drivin’ steel . " E well , john henry hammered in the mountain . B7 he’d give a grunt and he’d give a groan with every swing . E A E the women folks for miles around heard him and came down to watch him make the cold steel ring . lord , what a swinger . B7 E G just listen to that cold steel ring . G but the bad boss came up laughin’ at john henry . D said , "you full of vinegar now , but you ’bout through . G we gonna get a steam drill to do you share if drivin’ . then what’s all them muscle gonna do , huh , john henry? D G gonna take a little bit of vinegar out of you . " G john henry said , "i feed four little brothers D and baby sister’s walkin’ on her knees . n . C . did the lord say that machines oughta take the place of livin’? and what’s the substitute for bread and beans? i ain’t seen it . G do engines get rewarded for their steam?" G john henry hid in a coal mine for his dinner nap; D had thirty minutes to rest before the bell . G C G the mine boss hollered , "get up , who - ever you are and get a pickax . give me enough coal to start another hill and keep it burnin’ . D G mine me enough to start another hill . " G D john henry said to his captain , "a man ain’t nothin’ but a man . G C G but if you’ll bring that steam drill around i’ll beat it fair and hon - est . i’ll die with a hammer in my hand , but i’ll be laughin’ , D G ’cause you can’t replae a steel drivin’ man . " G there was a big crowd of people at the mountain . D john henry said to the steam drill , "how is you? n . C . pardon me , mister steam drill . i suppose you didn’t hear me . i said , how are you? huh? G well , can you turn a jack , can you lay a track? can you pick and shovel too? D G n . C . E listen , this hammer swinger’s talkin’ to you . " E two thousands people hollered , "go , john henry!" B7 then somebody hollered , "the mountain’s caving in!" E john henry told the captain , "tell the kind folks don’t to worry . it ain’t nothin’ but my hammer suckin’ wind . it keeps me breathin’ . B7 E G this steel driver’s muscle , i ain’t tin . G captain , tell the people move back farther . D i’m at the finish line and there ain’t no drill . G it’s so far behind but yet ain’t got the brains to quit it . when she blows up she’ll scatter ’cross the hills , lord , lord . D G n . C . E when she blows up she’ll scatter ’cross the hills . " E well , john henry had a little woman . B7 i believe the lady’s name was polly ann . n . C . yeah , that was his good woman . john henry threw his hammer over his shoulder and went on home . he lay down to rest his weary back . and early next mornin’ he said , "come here polly ann . come here , sugar . you know , i believe this is the first time i ever watched the sun come up that i couldn’t come up . take my hammer , polly ann , and go to that railroad . swing that hammer like you seen me do it . and when you’re swingin’ with the lead man , they’ll all know , they’ll all know you’re john henry’s woman . but , but tell ’em that ain’t all you can do . E A E tell ’em i can hoist a jack , and i can lay a track . i can pick and shovel too . ain’t no machine can . B7 E n . C . G that’s been proved to you . " G there was a big crowd of mourners at the church house . D the section hands laid him in the sand . G trains go by on the rails john henry laid . n . C . they slow down , they take off their hats , the men do . when they come to the place where john henry’s layin’ restin’ his back , some of ’em say , "mornin’ , steel driver . you sure was a hammer swinger . " then they go on by pickin’ up a little speed . G click - A - dee clack . click - A - dee clack . click - A - dee clack . click - A - dee clack . G yonder lies the steel drivin’ man , oh , lord . D G yonder lies the steel drivin’ man . A | | : yonder lies the steel drivin’ man , oh , lord . E A yonder lies the steel drivin’ man . : | | repeat and fade for more johnny cash chords , see www . unofficial - johnnycash . com!