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, weighed 245
Kind of broad at the shoulders, 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 crushing blow from a huge right hand
Sent a Louisiana fella to the promise land

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 crying
Minors were praying, and hearts beat fast
And everybody thought 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 minors 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 strength, he gave a mighty shove
Then a minor 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 stand in front of it
These few words are written on that stand
'At the bottom of this mine, lies one hell of a man, big John'

Big John, big John
Big, bad John
Big John