John Henry Was a Steel Drivin' Man

John Henry was a steel drivin' man John Henry was a steel drivin' man He died in West Virginia With his hammer in his hand They sing about him all across the land John Henry was a steel drivin' man He beat the steam drill down And then he died He beat the steam drill down And then he died And it didn't change nothin' But heaven knows he tried He was buried with his hammer by his side He beat the steam drill down And then he died John Henry There's coal beneath the mountain down below There's coal beneath the mountain down below And the company come to take it But the work was hard and slow Said well, there ain't no money in it We'll just go Alright, there's coal beneath the mountain down below And the union come and tried to make a stand The union come and tried to make a stand And West Virginia miners voted union to a man You'd never know it now, but that was then When the union come and tried to make a stand But the company brought in all the big machines Well, the company brought in all the big machines Cut more coal in an hour Than a shift could in a week John Henry could've told them what that means When the company brought in all the big machines Hey John Henry was a steel drivin' man John Henry was a steel drivin' man He died in West Virginia With his hammer in his hand They sing about him all across the land John Henry was a steel drivin' man