Well, when john henry died he lay lookin' at the sun
He said lord, take me now my work is done, lord, lordâ?¨
Lord take me now my work is done

Yeah, but when they laid him out in that box of pine, boyâ?¨
They laid that hammer by his side, lord, lordâ?¨
Laid that hammer by his side

Yeah, and joe hill he worked any job he could find, boy
He'd rake your leaves and pick your vine, lord, lord
Â?¨rake your leaves and pick your vineâ?¨

Yeah, and they killed joe hill, put a bullet to his nameâ?¨
But that bullet made a martyr of the same, lord, lord
Bullet made a martyr of the same

Yeah, and my grand daddy worked his whole damn life
Well, he never saved a nickel though he tried, lord, lord
Never saved a nickel though he triedâ?¨

And he died in tennessee but he couldn't find no rest
With that long road to texas lyin' ahead, lord lord
Long road to texas lyin' ahead

Yes sir, I ain't no great man and lord I expect to see
A long life, a workin' and you're dead, lord, lord
A long life, a workin' and you're deadâ?¨

They killed john henry, they killed john henry
They killed john henry but they won't kill me
Lord, they killed john henry, they killed john henryâ?¨
They killed john henry but they won't kill me