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 or
G wherever there's an A7 or G7.
D
Well John Henry was a little baby
C G A
Sittin' on his daddy's knee
D G G7
He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
D A D G7
And cried, "Hammer's gonna be death of me, Lord, Lord
D A7 D
Hammer's gonna be the death of me"
D
Now the captain he said to John Henry
C G A
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
D G G7
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
D A D G7
I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God
D A7 D
I'm gonna knock that steel on down"
D
John Henry told his captain
C G A
"Lord a man ain't nothin' but a man
D G G7
But 'fore I let that steam drill beat me down
D A D G7
I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord
D A7 D
I'll die with a hammer in my hand"
D
John Henry driving on the right side
C G A
That steam drill driving on the left
D G G7
Says, "'fore I let your steam drill beat me down
D A D G7
I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord,
D A7 D
I'll hammer my fool self to death"
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/b/bruce_springsteen/john_henry_crd_ver_3.html ]
D
Well captain said to John Henry
C G A
"What is that storm I hear?"
D G G7
John Henry said, "That ain't no storm captain
D A D G7
That's just my hammer in the air, Lord, Lord
D A7 D
That's just my hammer in the air"
D
John Henry said to his shaker
C G A
"Shaker, why don't you sing?
D G G7
Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my hips on down
D A D G7
Yeah, listen to my cold steel ring, Lord Lord
D A7 D
Listen to my cold steel ring"
D
That John Henry he hammered in the mountains
C G A
His hammer was striking fire
D G G7
But he worked so hard it broke his heart
D A D G7
John Henry laid down his hammer and died, Lord, Lord
D A7 D
John Henry laid down his hammer and died
D
Well, now John Henry he had him a woman
C G A
By the name of Polly Ann
D G G7
She walked out to those tracks picked up John Henry's hammer
D A D G7
And Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord
D A7 D
Polly drove that steel like a man
D
Well every, every Monday morning
C G A
When a blue bird he begins to sing
D G G7
You can hear John Henry from a mile or more
D A D G7
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
D A7 D
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
A D G7
I said you can hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lord, Lord
D A7 D
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring
