More About John Henry Lyrics - Storyteller Poet Philosopher - Tom T. Hall

(The Storytellers and I were doing a show down in Meridian, Mississippi. 

And these friends of mine came up and brought me this real old book 

About John Henry and they told me if they let me read this old book I'd 

Probably write a song about it. 

And they did and I did and I called it more About John Henry.) 

First of all John Henry was a black man 

He was born where the sun don't ever shine 

He was six feet tall he didn't know his own strength 

But he did not swing the hammer all the time 

Of course he didn't John Henry had some women on his mind. 

There was a woman cross the street named Poor Selma 

Loved John Henry like a natural man 

John Henry quit Poor Selma just like he was quitting work 

He loved that stinger of Julie Anne 

And what is it a stinger is something else you understand. 

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There was a man named Stacker Lee in Argenta a little man with a big 44 

You know he shot his woman down and took a shot at Poor Selma 

But ol' Stacker won't be shooting anymore 

He had to quit it John Henry laid him dead on the floor. 

John Henry threw Stacker Lee in the river 

Then he said I've got a say so to say 

He broke out in a song that was wrote by Blind Leonard 

He said Julie Anne I'm singing my say 

He said I love you but I do not like your lowdown ways. 

Well, John Henry went to a conjuring woman 

Said this misery ain't no way to live 

Somebody's back door creeping on my pretty Julie Anne 

Conjure woman had a say so to give 

She said, "John Henry." she said, "That's just the way things is." 

Photos 

Well, John Henry went to a hell busting man 

Said I'm tormented deep in my soul 

Well, that hell buster prayed John Henry's sins away 

And they tell me that the thunder did roll 

Sweet Jesus what a frightening sight to behold. 

From that day on John Henry was a changed man 

All he did was just work all the time 

Well, he worked till the muscles in his body gave out 

Then he kept right on a working in his mind 

Don't do it cause a man ain't supposed to work all the time. 

Julie Anne said John Henry I love you 

Poor Selma said John Henry you're my man 

Ruby said I'm gonna cook ye up some greens and some lean meat 

With corn bread in a four foot pan 

With lots of cracklings but John Henry was a different kinda man. 

Well, they allow that hard work killed John Henry, 

I'm gonna leave that allowing up to you, 

Well, was he killed by hard work or was he killed by bad women 

Be sure that this ain't happening to you. 

Quit working when your day's work work is through 

Cause a man ain't supposed to work all the time 

And ain't that just the way the things is 

A stinger is something else you understand 

Quit working when your your day's work is through God bless you