John Henry

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15
Original
Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams
D
John Henry was a little baby
C G A
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
D G
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
D A D G
And cried, "Hammer's gonna be death of me, Lord, Lord
D A D
Hammer's gonna be the death of me"
D
Now the captain he said to John Henry
C G A
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
D G
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
D A D G
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God
D A D
I'm gonna knock that steel on down"
D
John Henry told his captain
C G A
"Lord a man ain't nothin' but a man
D G
But 'fore I let that steam drill beat me down
D A D G
I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
D A D
I'll die with a hammer in my hand"
D
John Henry driving on the right side
C G A
That steam drill driving on the left
D G
Says, "'fore I let your steam drill beat me down
D A D G
I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord,
D A D
I'll hammer my fool self to death"
D
Well captain said to John Henry
C G A
"What is that storm I hear?"
D G
John Henry said, "That ain't no storm captain
D A D G
That's just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord
D A D
That's just my hammer in the air"
D
John Henry said to his shaker
C G A
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
D G
Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my hips on down
D A D G
Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord Lord
D A D
Listen to my cold steel ring"
D
John Henry he hammered in the mountains
C G A
His hammer was striking fire
D G
But he worked so hard it broke his heart
D A D G
John Henry laid down his hammer and died, Lord, Lord
D A D
John Henry laid down his hammer and died
D
Now John Henry he had him a woman
C G A
By the name of Polly Ann
D G
She walked out to those tracks picked up John Henry's hammer
D A D G
And Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
D A D
Polly drove that steel like a man
D
Well every, every Monday morning
C G A
When a blue bird he begins to sing
D G
You can hear John Henry from a mile or more
D A D G
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
D A D
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
D A D G
I said you can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
D A D
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring

John Henry Chords by Bruce Springsteen

Learn how to play John Henry by Bruce Springsteen with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “John Henry chords”, “John Henry guitar chords”, or “Bruce Springsteen John Henry chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy John Henry chords and for experienced players who want accurate John Henry lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include D, C, G, A.

Frequently asked questions about John Henry

How do I play "John Henry" by Bruce Springsteen on guitar?

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Can I transpose "John Henry" to a different key?

Yes. Use the transpose buttons on the song page to shift "John Henry" up or down by half-steps so it matches your vocal range or capo position.

Can I see chord diagrams for "John Henry"?

Yes. Tap any chord in "John Henry" to instantly see an interactive guitar chord diagram with alternate fingerings.

Is "John Henry" easy to play on guitar?

Many players learn "John Henry" by Bruce Springsteen with our free chords. Use transpose and chord diagrams to simplify tricky shapes, and browse related songs by Bruce Springsteen below.

What key is "John Henry" in?

The chords for "John Henry" show the original chord names (including D, C, G, A). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.