The Legend Of John Henry’s Hammer (At Folsom Prison) Johnny Cash

"Anybody got any special requests for us to do? John Henry? Let me do John Henry..."

John Henry's pappy woke him up one midnight
He said before the sheriff comes I wanna tell you
He said listen boy...
Said learn to ball a jack and learn to lay a track
Learn to pick and shovel too
And take my hammer, it’ll do anything you tell it to

John Henry's mammy had about a dozen babies
John Henry's pappy 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 hoist a jack, I can lay a track
I can pick and shovel too
He said, can you swing that hammer?
I can I'll do anything you hire me to

Now ain't you something
You're so high and mighty with your muscles
Go ahead, boy, pick up that hammer, show me what you can do
He said get a rusty spike and hammer 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