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John HenryJerry Lee Lewis

Songwriter: Jerry Lee Lewis

Producer: Jerry Kennedy

When John Henry was a little bitty boy
He picked up a hammer in his hand
Looked up at his mama and smilingly said
I want to be a steel drivin' man
Lord, Lord, I want to be a steel drivin' man

Soon John Henry grew up to be a man
And took a hammer in his hand
He could drive steel with either hand
He was a darn good steel drivin' man
Lord, Lord, he was a darn good steel drivin' man

Now John Henry drove an awful lot of steel
He was the best driver in the land
When he'd start in to drivin' down that steel
The sparks would fly to beat the band
Lord, Lord, the sparks would fly to beat the band

One day they brought a steam driver around
On John Henry's face was a smile
Just give me a twelve pound hammer Mister Boss
And I'll beat that driver by a mile
Lord, Lord, I'll beat that driver by a mile

Old John Henry started pounding down the steel
The steam drill was there by his side
They both drove steel for ten hours straight
Then John Henry fell and he died
Lord, Lord, then John Henry fell

Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis was a leading figure in the popularization of rock & roll during the 1950s. He was first signed to Sun Records in 1956 where he was labelmates with Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and other early rock artists. Of those musicians, however, he was the only piano player and combined with his heavy-handed playing style, sexually suggestive lyrics, and provocative stage antics he came to epitomize the rebelliousness of the genre.

He rose to international fame for his 1957 versions of the songs “Great Balls of Fire” and “Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On.”

Lewis' popularity rapidly tumbled, however, when in 1958, when at the age of 22, he married his 13-year-old cousin. Though this scandal continued to tarnish his image, Lewis never retired from music. As of October 2015, he continues to perform live.

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