John Henry

John Henry Paper details: Topic: Answer one of the two questions: (a) Find a written version of the John Henry folktale online. How does the version recorded on the text CD deviate or complement the written version? OR (b) What is Lias’ revelation? Journal Topic: Answer one of the two questions: (a) Find a written version of the John Henry folktale online. How does the version recorded on the text CD deviate or complement the written version? OR (b) What is Lias’ revelation? JOHN HENRY, STEEL DRIVING MAN The song When John Henry was a little baby Sitting on his daddy's knee Pointed he figured out a little piece of steel Steel's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord Steel's gonna be the death of me Well, now steel's gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord Steel's gonna be the death of me John Henry told his captain one day 'A man ain't nothin' but a man Before I will let you steam drill beat me down Would die with this hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord' Die with this hammer in my hand I would die with this hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord, Die with this hammer in my hand John Henry had a little woman Her name was Polly Ann John Henry got sick and had to go to bed You know Polly, she drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord Polly, she drove steel like a man How she drive? John Henry drivin' on the right hand side Steam drill drivin' on the left Before I will let your steam drill beat me down I will drive my poor self to death, Lord, Lord Drive my poor self to death John Henry drove steel on the Southern He drove steel on the C&O. He drove steel for that Big Ben Tunnel Steel drivin' kill John you know, steel drivin' kill John you know Well, now steel drivin' kill John you know, Lord, Lord Steel drivin' kill John you know image: http://static.urx.io/units/web/urx-unit-loader.gif Some says John Henry was born in Texas Some people thinks he was born in Maine John Henry was born down in Tennessee He was a leader of a steel-driving-gang, Lord, Lord Leader of a steel-driving-gang Was a leader of a steel-driving-gang, Lord, Lord Leader of a steel-driving-gang Well, the captain loved to see John Henry One of all loved to hear him sing But most of all that the paymaster loved He just loved to get John Henry's hammer ring He just loved to get John Henry's hammer ring He just loved to get John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord, Loved to get John Henry's hammer ring They carried John Henry on the mountain Upon a mountain so high Last words I heard that poor boy say Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Give me a cool drink of water 'fore I die Well, they carried John Henry's body to the White-house And they laid it in the sand Every time a locomotive follows go rollin' by They say, yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Well, now yonder lays a steel-drivin' man They say yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Yonder lays a steel-drivin' man Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/sonny-terry-brownie-mcghee/john-henry-lyrics/#IVM4dIWxTo2KFKFI.99 JOHN HENRY, STEEL DRIVING MAN Now John Henry was a mighty man, yes sir. He was born a slave in the 1840's but was freed after the war. He went to work as a steel-driver for the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad, don't ya know. And John Henry was the strongest, the most powerful man working the rails. John Henry, he would spend his day's drilling holes by hitting thick steel spikes into rocks with his faithful shaker crouching close to the hole, turning the drill after each mighty blow. There was no one who could match him, though many tried. Well, the new railroad was moving along right quick, thanks in no little part to the mighty John Henry. But looming right smack in its path was a mighty enemy - the Big Bend Mountain. Now the big bosses at the C&O Railroad decided that they couldn't go around the mile and a quarter thick mountain. No sir, the men of the C&O were going to go through it - drilling right into the heart of the mountain. A thousand men would lose their lives before the great enemy was conquered. It took three long years, and before it was done the ground outside the mountain was filled with makeshift, sandy graves. The new tunnels were filled with smoke and dust. Ya couldn't see no-how and could hardly breathe. But John Henry, he worked tirelessly, drilling with a 14-pound hammer, and going 10 to 12 feet in one workday. No one else could match him. Then one day a salesman came along to the camp. He had a steam-powered drill and claimed it could out-drill any man. Well, they set up a contest then and there between John Henry and that there drill. The foreman ran that newfangled steam-drill. John Henry, he just pulled out two 20-pound hammers, one in each hand. They drilled and drilled, dust rising everywhere. The men were howling and cheering. At the end of 35 minutes, John Henry had drilled two seven foot holes - a total of fourteen feet, while the steam drill had only drilled one nine-foot hole. John Henry held up his hammers in triumph! The men shouted and cheered. The noise was so loud, it took a moment for the men to realize that John Henry was tottering. Exhausted, the mighty man crashed to the ground, the hammer's rolling from his grasp. The crowd went silent as the foreman rushed to his side. But it was too late. A blood vessel had burst in his brain. The greatest driller in the C&O Railroad was dead. Some folks say that John Henry's likeness is carved right into the rock inside the Big Bend Tunnel. And if you walk to the edge of the blackness of the tunnel, sometimes you can hear the sound of two 20-pound hammers drilling their way to victory over the machine.