“Drivin' Steel”
Description
"If I could drive steel like John Henry, I'd go home, baby, I'd go home." Of the troubles of a steel driver: "This old hammer killed John Henry/Bill Dooley, Can't kill me...." "I'm goin' home and tell Little Annie, No mo' trials, baby, no mo' trials."
Notes
I suspect this piece is a variant of "Swannanoah Tunnel," but the tunes are slightly different and I have yet to find common verses, except for the floater about the hammer that killed John Henry, so for the moment I am keeping them separate. - RBW
Cross references
- cf. "Swannanoah Tunnel" (theme, lyrics)
- cf. "Take This Hammer" (theme, lyrics)
References
- Sandburg, p. 150, "Drivin' Steel" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Roud #790
- BI, San150