Tennessee Ernie Ford: Big Bad John

Big John
Big John

Every morning 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
Everybody knew you 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
If ya spoke at all, ya just said hi to Big John
Somebody said he came from New Orleans
Where he got in a fight o'er a cajun queen
And a crashin' blow from a huge right hand
Sent a Lousianna fella 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 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 the saggin' timber and gave out with a groan
And like a giant oak tree, 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
As smoke and gas belched outta the 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 re-opened 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