Big Bad John

(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 strength 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) --- Big Bad John - Henson Cargill