Big Bad John

Henson Cargill

(Big John Big John)
Every mornin' at the mine you could see him arrive
He stood six foot six and weighed 2-45
Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip
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
Just drifted into town and stayed all alone
He didn't say much kinda quiet and shy
And if you spoke at all you just said hi to Big John
Somebody said he came from New Orleans
Where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen
A crashin' blow from a huge right hand
Sent a Louisiana fellow to the Promised Land Big John
(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)

Then came the day at the bottom of the mine
When a timber cracked and men started cryin'
Miners were prayin' and hearts beat fast
Everybody thought that they'd 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 he just stood there alone Big John
(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)

And with all of his strenght he have a mighty shove
Then a miner yelled out there's a light up above
Twenty men screamed 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
The smoke and gas belched out of the mine
Everybody knew it way 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 marbled stand in front of it
And these few words're written on that stand
At the bottom of this mine lies a big big man Big John
(Big John Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)