Big Bad John Lyrics - Singles - Jimmy Dean

(Big John, big John) 

Every mornin' at the mine you could see him arrive 

He stood six-foot-six and weighed two-forty-five 

Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip 

And everybody knew ya didn't give no lip to big John 

(Big John, big John) 

Big bad John (big John) 

Nobody seemed to know where John called home 

He just drifted into town and stayed all alone 

He didn't say much, kinda quiet and shy 

And if you spoke at all, you just said hi to Big John 

Somebody said he came from New Orleans 

Where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen 

And a crashin' blow from a huge right hand 

Sent a Louisiana fellow to the promised land, big John 

(Big John, big John) 

Big bad John (big John) 

Then came the day at the bottom of the mine 

When a timber cracked and men started cryin' 

Miners were prayin' and hearts beat fast 

And everybody thought that they'd breathed their last, 'cept John 

Through the dust and the smoke of this man-made hell 

Walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well 

Grabbed a saggin' timber, gave out with a groan 

And like a giant oak tree he just stood there alone, big John 

(Big John, big John) 

Big bad John (big John) 

And with all of his strength he gave a mighty shove 

Then a miner yelled out "there's a light up above!" 

And twenty men scrambled from a would-be grave 

Now there's only one left down there to save, big John 

With jacks and timbers they started back down 

Then came that rumble way down in the ground 

And then smoke and gas belched out of that mine 

Everybody knew it was the end of the line for big John 

(Big John, big John) 

Big bad John (big John) 

Now, they never reopened that worthless pit 

They just placed a marble stand in front of it 

These few words are written on that stand 

At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man 

Big John 

(Big John, big John) 

Big bad John (big John) 

(Big John) big bad John