I was born one mornin' The rain is pourin' down Heard my mammy say to my pappy "Let's call him John Henry Brown" Walk on, boy Walk on down the road Ain't nobody in this whole wide world are gonna help you carry your load ♪ I left my mammy and pappy Just about the age of ten Lord, I got me job a workin' on the levee Toting water for the hard working men Walk on, boy Walk on down the road Ain't nobody in this whole wide world are gonna help you carry your load ♪ One day my pappy told me "Some advice I wanna give to you Son, find a good woman, be good to her And she's gonna be good to you" Walk on boy Walk on down the road There ain't nobody in this whole wide world are gonna help you carry your load ♪ If anyone ever should ask you "Just who is that fella Brown?" You can tell him I'm the boy that left his hammer smokin' Where he beat that steam drill down Walk on boy Walk on down the road There ain't nobody in this whole wide world are gonna help you carry your load Walk on boy Walk on boy Walk on boy