t was the late 1800s americans were scrambling to crisscross the country with railroad tracks the railroads would carry goods and people they would open up coal and timber lands they would help the country grow Building the railroads was hard work the men of the work gangs hauled rock and shoveled dirt they laid wooden beams and heavy steel rails they blasted their way through tall mountains listen One man is singing soon all the workers join in the picks and hammers rise and fall to the rhythm of their work song the words tell a story of joy and pain strength and pride and courage they tell the tale of John henry
John henry was born on a night as black as the belly of a mountain Dark clouds covered the moon lightning flashed thunder pounded the earth like a hammer then that new baby cried he cried so loud that he scared off the storm clouds a big copper moon gazed down from the sky crickets sang in the grass roosters crowed in the barnyard Black bears roared and panthers growled in the woods and mountains it seemed like the whole wide world was trying to say welcome John henry
