Jackhammer John

(album: Woody Guthrie Sings Folk Songs - 1962)

Jackhammer John was a jackhammer man
Born with a jackhammer in his hand
Lord, Lord And he had them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

I built your roads and buildings too
And I'm gonna build a damn or two
Lord, Lord, well I had them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

I was borned in Portland town
Built every port from Alasky down
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

Built your bridges, dug your mines
Been in jail a thousand times
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

Jackhammer, jackhammer, where ya been?
Been out a-chasing them gals again
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

Jackhammer man from a jackhammer town
I can hammer till the sun goes down
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

I hammered on the boulder, hammered on the butte
Columbia River on a five-mile chute
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

Working on the Bonneville, hammered all night
A-trying to bring the people some electric light
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

I hammered on Bonneville, Coulee too
Always broke when my job was through
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

I hammered on the river from sun to sun
Fifteen million salmon run
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

I hammered in the rain, I hammered in the dust
I hammered in the best and I hammered in the worst
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues

I got a jackhammer gal just as sweet as pie
And I'm a-gonna hammer till the day I die
Lord, Lord, well I got them jackhammer blues
I got them jackhammer blues