John Henry was a little boy,
'Bigger than the palm of your hand,
'Time that boy, he was nine years old
Driving spikes like a man
Driving spikes like a man.

John Henry was a little boy,
Sitting on his mammy's knee,
He picked up a hammer and a little bit of steel:
"Hammer's gonna be the death of me,
Hammer's gonna be the death of me."