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Version 1[Intro] G | D | G | A | D | G D | D | D | D A | D | x2 [Verse 1] G D G A John Henry was a new-born baby, sittin' down on his mama's knee D G D Say, "That Big Bend Tunnel on that C & O Road, It's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord A D It's gonna be the death of me. It's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord A D It's gonna be the death of me." [Verse 2] G D G A John Henry had two women, one was named Mary Magdalene D G D He would go out on the job and she would sing, "Hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord, A D Hear John Henry's hammer ring. Hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord, A D Hear John Henry's hammer ring." [Verse 3] G D G A John Henry had another little woman, her name was sweet Polly Ann D G D John Henry taken sick, boy, and he had to go to bed Polly Ann drove steel just like a man, Lord, Lord A D Polly Ann drove steel like a man Polly Ann drove steel just like a man, Lord Lord A D Polly Ann drove steel like a man [Verse 4] G D G A "Baby, who's gonna shoe your little feet, tell me, who's gonna glove your hand? D G D Tell me, who's gonna kiss your sweet little lips, now Tell me, who's gonna be your man, Lord, Lord A D Tell me, who's gonna be your man. Tell me, who's gonna be your man, Lord, Lord A D Tell me, who's gonna be your man?" [Verse 5] G D G A "My papa's gonna shoe my little feet, my mama's gonna glove my hand D G D My sister's gonna kiss my sweet little lips, now You know I don't need no man, Lord, Lord A D You know I don't need no man. You know I don't need no man, Lord, Lord A D You know I don't need no man." [Solo] G | D | G | A | D | G D | D | D | D A | D | x2 [Verse 6] G D G A Then they taken John Henry to the White House, they buried him in the sand D G D And every locomotive come a-rollin' by, sayin', "There lies that steel-drivin' man, Lord, Lord A D There lies that steel-drivin' man. There lies that steel-drivin' man, Lord, Lord A D There lies that steel-drivin' man."