John Henry was an artist with a hammer
The only thing that he could understand
He said there's only one thing that I know for sure
Gonna die with this hammer in my hand, lord lord
Die with this hammer in my hand

One day the Boss Man bought a steam drill
Took it out for all the men to see
Boss Man said why should I pay you lazy bums
When this steam drill will work for free, lord lord
This steam drill will work for free

John Henry said I'm faster than this steam drill
I'll die before it proves me wrong
And if I should lose to this rusty hunk of shit
I'm gonna leave you with one hell of a song, lord lord
Leave you with one hell of a song

They both started hammering that rock face
Both hammers pounding in time
John Henry hammered fourteen inches
Steam drill only hammered nine, lord lord
Steam drill only hammered nine

Everybody cheered for John Henry
Everybody knew he was ahead
But that steam drill just kept on pounding
Poor John Henry dropped dead, lord lord
Poor John Henry dropped dead

The Boss Man just laughed when John Henry fell
He turned around and this is what he say
I don't give a shit which one was faster
Steam drill's gonna take your jobs away, lord lord
Steam drill's gonna take your jobs away

Steam drill don't quit, steam drill don't get sick
Steam drill don't get drunk and fight
Steam drill only does what I tell it to
Steam drill don't know wrong from right, lord lorrd
Steam drill don't know wrong from right

Steam drill don't love nothing
Steam drill's got no pride
A man needs to believe that he matters
That's why John Henry died, lord lord
That's why John Henry died

They dumped John Henry's body in an unmarked grave
There's no cross to tell us where he died
Nobody cries or says a goddamned thing
Any time a train rolls by, lord lord
Any time a train rolls by

Now the steam drill's forgotten in a junkyard
John Henry's in an unmarked grave
John Henry bet his life against the future
Boss Man wins it either way, lord lord
Boss Man wins it either way