Take this 9 pound hammer back to the captain
Let him swing it like John Henry all day long
He can take this sorry deal, let him see just how it feels
I'm going to lay my hammer down and be long gone

Hey Spikedriver, you're gonna miss me when I'm gone
Hey Spikedriver, can't you hear my lonesome song
I'm going to lay my hammer down and be long gone

I've been working too long on this railroad
Tell the walking boss I ain't coming back
I'm going to move on down the line, back home to Caroline
I ain't going to let this railroad break my back

Hey Spikedriver, you're going to miss me when I'm gone
Hey Spikedriver, can't you hear my lonesome song
I'm going to lay my hammer down and be long gone

Every night I hear that big spike hammer ringing
Cold, steel rails are always on my mind
I can still feel every blow from every spike I drove below
Still haunted by the life I left behind

Hey Spikedriver, you're going to miss me when I'm gone
Hey Spikedriver, can't you hear my lonesome song
I'm going to lay my hammer down and be long gone
I'm going to lay my hammer down and be long gone