Hall Tom T: More about John Henry

First of all John Henry was a black man he was born where the sun don't ever shineHe was six feet tall he didn't know his own strengthBut he did not swing the hammer all the timeOf course he didn't John Henry had some women on his mindThere was a woman cross the street named Poor SelmaLoved John Henry like a natural manJohn Henry quit Poor Selma just like he was quittin' workHe loved that stinger-ree of Julie AnneAnd what is it a stinger-ree is somethin' else you understandThere was a man named Stacker Lee in Argenta a little man with a big 44You know he shot his woman down and took a shot at Poor SelmaBut ol' Stacker won't be shootin' anymoreHe had to quit it John Henry laid him dead on the floorJohn Henry threw Stacker Lee in the river then he said I've got a say so to sayHe broke out in a song that was wrote by Blind LeonardHe said Julie Anne I'm singing my sayHe said I love you but I do not like your lowdown waysWell John Henry went to a conjurin' woman said this misery ain't no way to liveSomebody's back door creeping on my pretty Julie AnneConjure woman had a say so to giveShe said John Henry she said that's just the way things isWell John Henry went to a hell bustin' man said I'm tormented deep in my soulWell that hell buster prayed John Henry's sins awayAnd they tell me that the thunder did rollSweet Jesus what a frightenin' sight to beholdFrom that day on John Henry was a changed man all he did was just work all the timeWell he worked till the muscles in his body gave outThen he kept right on a workin' in his mindDon't do it cause a man ain't supposed to work all the timeJulie Anne said John Henry I love you Poor Selma said John Henry you're my manRuby said I'm gonna cook ye up some greens and some lean meatWith corn bread in a four foot panWith lotsa cracklins but John Henry was a diff'rent kinda manWell they allow that hard work killed John Henry hmmI'm gonna leave that allowin' up to you hmmWell was he killed by hard work or was he killed by bad womenBe sure that this ain't happenin' to youQuit working when your day's work work is throughCause a man ain't supposed to work all the timeAnd ain't that just the way the things isA stinger-ree is somethin' else you understandQuit working when your your day's work is through God bless you