More About John Henry chords by
Tom T. Hall

N/A

Key: Bb major

Verse 1
G G 
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(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.)

Verse 2
G G 
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First of all John Henry was a black man
He was born where the sun
D D 
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don't ever shine
G G 
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He was six feet tall he didn't
C C 
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know his own strength
G G 
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But he did not swing
the hammer all the time
C C 
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G G 
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Of course he didn't John Henry had
D D 
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G G 
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some women on his mind.

Verse 3
G G 
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There was a woman cross the street
named Poor Selma
D D 
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Loved John Henry like a natural man
G G 
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John Henry quit Poor Selma just
C C 
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like he was quitting work
G G 
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C C 
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He loved that stinger of Julie Anne
G G 
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And what is it a stinger is
D D 
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something else you understand.

Verse 4
G G 
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There was a man named Stacker Lee
D D 
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in Argenta a little man with a big 44
G G 
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You know he shot his woman down
C C 
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and took a shot at Poor Selma
G G 
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But ol' Stacker won't
be shooting anymore
C C 
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G G 
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He had to quit it John Henry
D D 
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G G 
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laid him dead on the floor.

Verse 5
G G 
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John Henry threw Stacker
Lee in the river
D D 
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Then he said I've got a say so to say
G G 
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He broke out in a song that
C C 
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was wrote by Blind Leonard
G G 
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He said Julie Anne I'm singing my say
C C 
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G G 
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He said I love you but I do not
D D 
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like your lowdown ways.
G G 
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Ab Ab 4
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Verse 6
Well, John Henry went to
a conjuring woman
Eb Eb 6
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Said this misery ain't no way to live
Ab Ab 4
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Somebody's back door creeping
Db Db 4
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on my pretty Julie Anne
Ab Ab 4
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Conjure woman had a say so to give
Db Db 4
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Ab Ab 4
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She said, "John Henry." she said,
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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"That's just the way things is."

Verse 7
Ab Ab 4
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Well, John Henry went to
a hell busting man
Eb Eb 6
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Said I'm tormented deep in my soul
Ab Ab 4
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Well, that hell buster prayed
Db Db 4
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John Henry's sins away
Ab Ab 4
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And they tell me that the thunder did roll
Db Db 4
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Ab Ab 4
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Sweet Jesus what a frightening
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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sight to behold.

Verse 8
Ab Ab 4
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From that day on John Henry
was a changed man
Eb Eb 6
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All he did was just work all the time
Ab Ab 4
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Well, he worked till the muscles
Db Db 4
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in his body gave out
Ab Ab 4
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Then he kept   right on
Db Db 4
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a working in his mind
Ab Ab 4
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Don't do it cause a man ain't
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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supposed to work all the time.

Verse 9
Ab Ab 4
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Julie Anne said John Henry I love you
Poor Selma said John Henry
Eb Eb 6
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you're my man
Ab Ab 4
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Ruby said I'm gonna cook ye up some
Db Db 4
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greens and some lean meat
Ab Ab 4
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With corn bread in a four foot pan
Db Db 4
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Ab Ab 4
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With lots of cracklings but John Henry
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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was a different kinda man.

Verse 10
Ab Ab 4
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Well, they allow that hard work
Ab Ab 4
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killed John Henry,
I'm gonna leave that allowing up to you,
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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Well, was he killed by hard work or
Db Db 4
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was he killed by  bad women
Ab Ab 4
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Db Db 4
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Be sure that this ain't happening to you.

Verse 11
Ab Ab 4
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Quit working when your day's
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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work work is through
Cause a man ain't supposed
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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to work all the time
Eb Eb 6
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And ain't that just the way
Ab Ab 4
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the things is
A stinger is something else
Eb Eb 6
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Ab Ab 4
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you un  derstand
Eb Eb 6
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Quit working when your your day's
Ab Ab 4
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work is through God bless you

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TunerE A D G B E

ChordsG D C Ab Eb...

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