Lyrics: Traditional, arr Mississippi John Hurt
Music: Traditional, arr Mississippi John Hurt
Played by Jerry with the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band and with John Kahn;
and more recently by the New Riders of the Purple Sage.
Not to be confused with Nine Pound Hammer.
Take this hammer and carry it to the captainThis is the version played by the New Riders:
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
Take this hammer and carry it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
I don't want your cold iron shackles
Round my leg, round my leg, round my leg
I don't want your cold iron shackles
Round my leg, round my leg, round my leg
It's a long way from Colorado
To my home, to my home, to my home
It's a long way from Colorado
To my home, to my home, to my home
This is the hammer that killed John Henry
Won't kill me, won't kill me, won't kill me
This is the hammer that killed John Henry
Won't kill me, won't kill me, won't kill me
Take this hammer and carry it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
This is the hammer and carry it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
Take this hammer and carry it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
Take this hammer and carry it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
John Henry, he left his hammer laying side the road
Laying side the road, laying side the road
John Henry, he left his hammer laying side the road
Laying side the road, laying side the road
This is the hammer that killed John Henry
Won't kill me, won't kill me, won't kill me
This is the hammer that killed John Henry
Won't kill me, won't kill me, won't kill me
It's a long way from Colorado
To my home, to my home, to my home
It's a long way from Colorado
To my home, to my home, to my home
Take this hammer and carry it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
This is the hammer and carry it to the captain
Tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone, tell him I'm gone
| Jerry Garcia Recordings | |||||
| Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
| 27 Jan 1986 | GarciaLive Volume 14 | Jerry Garcia/John Kahn | |||
| 28 Feb 1986 | Pure Jerry: Marin Veterans Memorial Auditorium | Jerry Garcia/John Kahn | |||
| 29 Aug 1987 | Electric On The Eel (bonus disc) | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
| 28 Oct 1987 | On Broadway: Act One | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
| 31 Oct 1987 | Pure Jerry 2: Lunt-Fontanne | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||
| 3 Dec 1987 | Almost Acoustic | Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band | |||