John Henry chords by Bruce Springsteen

Chords with lyrics

I think Bruce plays this in a different key (F?), but I like the way this sounds.
Also, it sounds just as good (maybe better) if you omit the 7th chords and just use A augmentedA or
G+G wherever there's an A7A7 or G7.


D MajorD
Well John Henry was a little baby
        C majorC G+G   A augmentedA
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
     D MajorD         G+G        G7G7
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
      D MajorD       A augmentedA      D MajorD     G7G7
And cried, "Hammer's gonna be death of me, Lord, Lord
D MajorD       A7A7       D MajorD
Hammer's gonna be the death of me"

D MajorD
Now the captain he said to John Henry
            C majorC   G+G   A augmentedA
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
     D MajorD              G+G     G7G7
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
      D MajorD     A augmentedA    D MajorD     G7G7
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God
      D MajorD     A7A7    D MajorD
I'm gonna knock that steel on down"

D MajorD
John Henry told his captain
         C majorC    G+G   A augmentedA
"Lord a man ain't nothin' but a man
   D MajorD        G+G          G7G7
But 'fore I let that steam drill beat me down
      D MajorD     A augmentedA      D MajorD      G7G7
I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
   D MajorD     A7A7      D MajorD
I'll die with a hammer in my hand"

D MajorD
John Henry driving on the right side
         C majorC    G+G   A augmentedA
That steam drill driving on the left
    D MajorD           G+G       G7G7
Says, "'fore I let your steam drill beat me down
      D MajorD    A augmentedA    D MajorD      G7G7
I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord,
   D MajorD     A7A7      D MajorD
I'll hammer my fool self to death"
D MajorD
Well captain said to John Henry
       C majorC   G+G A augmentedA
"What is that storm I hear?"
   D MajorD             G+G   G7G7
John Henry said, "That ain't no storm captain
    D MajorD    A augmentedA       D MajorD     G7G7
That's just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord
    D MajorD    A7A7      D MajorD
That's just my hammer in the air"

D MajorD
John Henry said to his shaker
       C majorC   G+G  A augmentedA
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
      D MajorD               G+G    G7G7
Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my hips on down
    D MajorD      A augmentedA     D MajorD     G7G7
Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord Lord
D MajorD       A7A7     D MajorD
Listen to my cold steel ring"

D MajorD
That John Henry he hammered in the mountains
        C majorC  G+G  A augmentedA
His hammer was striking fire
    D MajorD         G+G     G7G7
But he worked so hard it broke his heart
   D MajorD     A augmentedA          D MajorD      G7G7
John Henry laid down his hammer and died, Lord, Lord
   D MajorD     A7A7         D MajorD
John Henry laid down his hammer and died

D MajorD
Well, now John Henry he had him a woman
        C majorC G+G A augmentedA
By the name of Polly Ann
      D MajorD               G+G      G7G7
She walked out to those tracks picked up John Henry's hammer
   D MajorD      A augmentedA      D MajorD     G7G7
And Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
 D MajorD        A7A7      D MajorD
Polly drove that steel like a man

D MajorD
Well every, every Monday morning
         C majorC   G+G    A augmentedA
When a blue bird he begins to sing
     D MajorD           G+G    G7G7
You can hear John Henry from a mile or more
     D MajorD     A augmentedA       D MajorD      G7G7
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
     D MajorD     A7A7       D MajorD
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
             A augmentedA       D MajorD      G7G7
I said you can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
     D MajorD     A7A7       D MajorD
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring