CHORUS: (SINGING) Wonderful
POLLY: Wonderful
- Marvelous - Marvelous
- A man with the strength of many - Yes, he was
- Brave and bold with a heart of gold - John
- John Henry was a mighty man - Mighty man
CHORUS: Born with a hammer Right in his hand
POLLY: Oh, oh...
POLLY: Every soul has a dream,
and every heart has a way to make it so.
Now, let me tell you about my John Henry,
who laid down his life for his dream.
John and me were born slaves.
Nothing to call our own.
Not even each other.
(WHIP CRACKS)
Then the day of jubilation came,
and all the slaves were free.
And John vowed, "Never again."
And with that,
I had those chains forged into a mighty hammer,
a present for John on our wedding day.
Oh, you'd have thought he'd gotten his freedom all over again.
(CHUCKLING) He said,
"Polly, I'll die with this hammer in my hand."
And off we set to find work and a place of our own.
Now, the C&O Railroad had promised land.
Fifty acres to every man who finished the line.
But when John and I came up on them,
they were already worn out,
and about to lose their promised land.
Lads, deadline's been moved up.
If we do not get to the other side of that mountain,
- we can kiss our land goodbye. - ALL: Oh...
- What? - MAN: That can't be done!
MAN 2: We had a deal! MAN 3: It's not fair.
MAN 2: We're working as hard as we can!
JOHN: I'll take you there.
And when did you start building railroads?
Today.
(SINGING) Well, come on, John
You're the one that We're depending on
Swing that hammer With all your might
I know you can show 'em How to do it right
CHORUS: Hoo, sha
Hoo, sha
POLLY: John's hammer rang out, and the tall tales grew.
(SINGING) John Henry, John Henry
John Henry is a mighty man Born with a hammer
- A 10-pound hammer - A 20-pound hammer
Right in his hand
I heard John's mama liked to sew at night
So he pulled down the moon for a little bit of light
Took a lot of cooking to keep John fed
Ten dozen eggs and eight loaves of bread
John Henry, John Henry
John Henry is a mighty man
Born with a hammer Born with a hammer
Right in his hand
He plowed the earth So wide and deep
The seed he sowed The ground had to keep
His hammer hit the earth With such a mighty blow
Everything he planted Would jump up and grow
John Henry, John Henry
John Henry is a powerful man
All our lives we've been so poor
John, let me show you What we're working for
Canaan Land, Canaan Land
Everybody working For the Canaan Land
Home and freedom hand in hand
Workin' for the Canaan Land
- Oh, movin' on down the line - John Henry
John Henry came right on time
- Now we're movin' - Movin' on down the line
John Henry came right on time
- Home and freedom - Home and freedom hand in hand
Workin' for the Canaan Land
Yeah...
(STEAM DRILL HORN BLOWS)
- What is that thing? - It's a steam drill.
That thing's gonna take our jobs.
But... But we had a contract.
MACTAVISH: Ah!
(MEN GRUMBLING)
- We had a deal! - Let's get it!
- Push it over. - (GRUNTING)
This ain't no way to settle things.
But, John, they're throwing us away like we was nothing.
I've got a better way.
A challenge.
I've got two free hands and a 20-pound hammer.
If I can best this here machine,
the land you promised is ours.
John, we're free.
You don't have to do this.
Polly, if they steal our dreams,
they put a chain around our souls.
Somebody's got to stand tall.
Believe in me.
(SIGHS)
MAN 1: Go, John. MAN 2: John's gonna do it.
MAN 3: Come on, John. Show that steam drill!
Furthest by sundown, gentlemen.
MAN 4: You can do it! MAN 5: This is it.
MAN 6: You can do it, John!
(ALL CHEER)
(SINGING) John Henry, John Henry
John Henry is a mighty man
John Henry, John Henry
John Henry is a powerful man
Hoo, sha
- Steel drivin' man - John Henry was
- Steel drivin' man - Oh, yes, he was
So proud defiant A gentle giant
A steel drivin' natural man
- MAN: John wins! - Huh?
Huh?
It's not sundown yet.
(MEN GRUMBLING)
(SINGING) Well, a-come on, John
You're the one that We're dependin' on
Swing that hammer Bust that rock
Come on, give it Everything you've got
CHORUS: John Henry, John Henry
John Henry is a mighty man
Born with a hammer Born with a hammer
Right in his hand
John and the drill Made the valley shake
Rumblin' almost caused an earthquake
Thunder and lightning was everywhere
Oh, Lord, that battle Was beyond compare
John Henry, John Henry
John Henry is a powerful man
Born with a hammer Born with a hammer
Right in his hand
(ALL GASPING)
(ALL CHEERING)
Aye, Polly, he did it.
(SIGHING LOUDLY)
Oh, and he was smiling
'cause he moved that mountain and led us to the promised land.
You can move mountains, too, baby.
All you got to do is believe.
(CHUCKLES) Don't you be scared of that thunder no more, child.
The storm's done rolled away,
and that's just the sound of your papa
- driving steel to glory. - (GIGGLING)
So just remember.
(SINGING) No mountain too high
No valley too low
CHORUS: No river too wide
No place too far to go
POLLY: Oh, believe
CHORUS: If you believe You can overcome
The battle is already won
POLLY: Oh, just keep on
CHORUS: Just keep on keepin' on
Stand tall just like John
- No matter who you are - POLLY: No matter
CHORUS: No matter where you're from
CHORUS: Nothing can stop you
POLLY: Nothing can stop you
CHORUS: From who you can become
CHORUS: Just keep on keepin' on
POLLY: Keep on
- Stand tall just like John - Stand tall
- Just keep on keepin' on - You gotta keep on
- Stand tall just like John - No matter
- No matter who you are - No matter
CHORUS: No matter where you're from
Nothing can stop you
POLLY: Nothing can stop you
CHORUS: From who you can become
CHORUS: Just keep on keepin' on
POLLY: Keep on
CHORUS: Stand tall just like John
CHORUS: Keep on keepin' on
POLLY: I said keep on
- Stand tall just like John - Hey, yeah
- Just keep on keepin' on - Keep on
- Stand tall just like John - Hey, yeah
- Just keep on keepin' on - Oh, keep on
- Stand tall just like John - Hey, yeah