Big Bad John by Johnny Cash
Big Bad John lyrics
Big John, big John
Every morning at the mine, you could see him arrive
He stood 6 foot 6, and weighed 245
Kind of broad at the shoulder, narrow at the hip
And everybody knew you didn't give no lip to big John
Big John, big John
Big, bad John
Big John
Nobody seemed to know where John called home
He just drifted into town and stayed all alone
He didn't say much, kind of quiet and shy
And if you spoke at all, you'd just said hi to big John
Somebody said he came from New Orleans
Where he got into a fight over a Cajun Queen
And a crashing blow from a huge right hand
Sent a Louisiana fella to the promised land
Big John, big John
Big, bad John
Big John
Then came that day at the bottom of the mine
When a timber cracked and men started crying
Miners were praying, and hearts beat fast
And everybody thoughtthey (knew that they) had breathed their last 'cept John
Through the dust and the smoke of this man made hell
Walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well
Grabbed a sagging timber and gave out with a groan
And like a giant oak tree just stood there alone, big John
Big John, big John
Big, bad John
Big John
And with all of his strength, he gave a mighty shove
Then a miner yelled out, "There's a light up above!"
And 20 men scrambled from a would be grave
Now there's only one left down there to save, big John
With jacks and timbers, they started back down
Then came that rumble way down in the ground
And as smoke and gas smelched out of that mine
Everybody knew it was the end of the line for big John
Big John, big John
Big, bad John
Big John
Now they never reopened that worthless pit
They just placed a marble sign in front of it
These few words are written on that sign
'At the bottom of this mine, lies a big big man, big John'
Big John, big John
Big, bad John
Big John
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