Johnny Cash: Big bad John

Big JohnBig JohnEvery mornning at the mine, you could see him arrive.He stood 6 foot 6, weighed 245.Kind of broad at the shoulders, narrow at the hip.And everybody knew you didn't give no lip to Big John.Big JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnNobody seemed to know where John called homeHe just drifted into town and stayed all alone.He didn't say much, kind of quiet and shyAnd if you spoke at all, you'd just said hi to Big John.Somebody said he came from New Orleans,Where he got into a fight over a Cajun Queen.And a crash and a blow from a huge right hand,sent a Lousiana fella to the promise land.Big JohnBig JohnBig bad JohnBig JohnThen came the day at the bottom of the mine,when a timber cracked and men started crying.Minors were praying, and hearts beat fastand everybody thought they had breathed thier lastcept' John.Through the dust and the smoke of this man made hell,walked a giant of a man that the minors knew well.Grabbed a sagging timber and gave out with a groan,and like a giant oak tree he just stood there alone, Big JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnAnd with all of his strength, he gave a mighty shove.Then a minor yelled out, 'theres a light up above!'.And 20 men scrambled from a 'would be' gravenow theres 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 as smoke and gas smelched out of that mine,everybody knew it was the end of the line, for Big John.Big JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnNow they never re-opend that wortheless 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 one Hell of a man, Big John'Big JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig John.