G 
Well, when John Henry died he lay lookin' at the sun 
        D                            G 
He said Lord, take me now my work is done, Lord, Lord 
D                           G 
Lord take me now my work is done 

          G 
Yeah, but when they laid him out in that box of pine, boy 
     D                       G 
They laid that hammer by his side, Lord, Lord 
D                       G 
Laid that hammer by his side 

G 
Yeah, and Joe Hill he worked any job he could find, boy 
     D                              G 
He'd rake your leaves and pick your vine, Lord, Lord 
D                              G 
Rake your leaves and pick your vine 

G 
Yeah, and they killed Joe Hill, put a bullet to his name 
         D                           G 
But that bullet made a martyr of the same, Lord, Lord 
D                           G 
Bullet made a martyr of the same 

G 
Yeah, and my grand daddy worked his whole damn life 
         D                              G 
Well, he never saved a nickel though he tried, Lord, Lord 
D                              G 
Never saved a nickel though he tried 

G    
And he died in Tennessee but he couldn't find no rest 
          D                        G 
With that long road to Texas lyin' ahead, Lord Lord 
D                        G 
Long road to Texas lyin' ahead 

G        
Yes sir, I ain't no great man and Lord I expect to see 
       D                          G 
A long life, a workin' and you're dead, Lord, Lord 
D                                 G 
A long life, a workin' and you're dead 

G 
They killed John Henry, they killed John Henry 
D                                          G 
They killed John Henry but they won't kill me 
G 
Lord, they killed John Henry, they killed John Henry 
D                                          G 
They killed John Henry but they won't kill me