"John Henry" | Performance
Added 2018-06-25 11:17:22 +0000 UTCThis is my own original arrangement of the classic folk ballad "John Henry." Note that in this video I sang "Big Bend Tunnel on the C&O Road," however, Dr. Art Rosenbaum has since convinced me that John Henry actually died in the Oak Mountain Tunnel on the C&W Road outside of Leeds, Alabama so I've written the below lyrics to reflect the actual history of this American folk hero. From now on I intend to sing the song as written below:
When John Henry was a baby boy
Sitting on his momma's knee
Said that Oak Mountain Tunnel on the C&W Road
It's gonna be the death of me (x2)
John Henry said to the captain
A man ain't nothing but a man
If I can't beat this steam drill down
I guess I'll die with this hammer in my hands (x2)
John Henry hammered on that mountainside
Til his hammer was a striking fire
The rocks were so tall poor Johnny was so small
He laid down his hammer and he died (x2)
They carried him down to the railroad tracks
Buried him down in the sand
Every locomotive what came a roaring by
Cried yonder lies a steel driving man (x2)
Some people say he came from Tennessee
Some people say from Alabam
Well I don't give a damn where that poor boy was from
You know he was a steel driving man (x2)
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Comments
When John Henry was a baby boy Sitting on his momma's knee Said that Oak Mountain Tunnel on the C&W Road It's gonna be the death of me (x2) John Henry said to the captain A man ain't nothing but a man If I can't beat this steam drill down I guess I'll die with this hammer in my hands (x2) John Henry hammered on that mountainside Til his hammer was a striking fire The rocks were so tall poor Johnny was so small He laid down his hammer and he died (x2) They carried him down to the railroad tracks Buried him down in the sand Every locomotive what came a roaring by Cried yonder lies a steel driving man (x2) Some people say he came from Tennessee Some people say from Alabam Well I don't give a damn where that poor boy was from You know he was a steel driving man (x2)
Clifton Hicks
2018-07-07 11:03:02 +0000 UTCWould be great to have the lyrics written down...Thanks!
Jonas Nottbeck
2018-07-07 09:26:10 +0000 UTCOne surely could accomplish the same with an open-string pull. I guess I did d-thumbs here instead because my whole life I picked this song two-finger with lots of thumb drops to the inside strings so when I tried to play it overhand for yall everything still poured out of my right hand rather than left--merely force of habit I guess. My advice might be to forget all those filler dropthumb notes and just tab out the straight melody--just my 2 cents. Thanks for all your efforts, J.
Clifton Hicks
2018-07-03 14:29:34 +0000 UTCOK, so I am working on this now... I may vent write some Tab for it. The main question is why all the drop-thumb in this version? Would you be able to accomplish the same effect with an open string pull-off/Knott Co. Lick? Thanks, JH
Justin Hoffmann
2018-07-03 00:57:08 +0000 UTCcannot stop picking it in thi8s tuning
Tony Thomas
2018-06-26 23:09:15 +0000 UTCI use my wife's Sony A5000 with the internal microphone that comes with it. The lense is a new one that she bought.
Clifton Hicks
2018-06-25 18:06:53 +0000 UTCJust joined, though I have been watching your youtube videos for a while. I have technical question, what do you use for recording sound and video? The sound is consistently good whether you are inside or outside, I am sure the great playing is the major factor, but was wondering what kind of video/sound setup you are using. Thanks -- Jeff
Jeffrey Togie
2018-06-25 18:05:01 +0000 UTC
