I was born one morning The rain a 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 A gonna help you carry load I left my mammy and pappy Just about the age of ten Lord I got me a job a workin' men Totin' water for the hard workin' men One day my pappy told me Some advice I wanna give to you Son, find a good woman, be good to her Ah she's gonna be good to you If anyone should ever ask you Just who is that fella Brown You can tell him I'm the boy Who left his hammmer smokin' Where he beat that steam drill down