I need the name of a song.

[Boomyal]

Harry Belafonte sang a song about a 'steel driving man' whose heart burst trying to compete with the new steam drills. A line in the song starts with "John Henry said to his maker...yada yada yada.(the maker is the the guy who counted cadence for his hammer blows) In the end he beats the new steam drill but dies of a burst heart. <br /><br />I am trying to find the title of the song so I can download it. I looked under Harry Belafonte but none of the titles shown look like the one I want.

 

[jsfinn]

Re: I need the name of a song.

No Harry Belafonte, but a lot of other people sing it:<br /><br /> http://www.ibiblio.org/john_henry/songlist.html

 

[jsfinn]

Re: I need the name of a song.

Boom - Google "Steel drivin' man harry belafonte" a lot of stuff comes up but I think a lot of poeple sang it.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: I need the name of a song.

Thanks JS, but Harry did sing it. I finally found one listed under John Henry in Limewire, but it won't download. I know I have the CD somewhere but can't find it either.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: I need the name of a song.

I did google it js. The first thing that was listed was Harry's version. Seems it was his first recording in 1954. I'm surprised it does not show up on Limewire, other than the one listing that won't download.

 

[JB]

Re: I need the name of a song.

That song was around before Belafonte was born.<br /><br />Old folk song. Original title was "John Henry" but some artists have changed the title when they recorded it.<br /><br />I have it on one of my Belafonte CDs, Harry Belafonte: All Time Greatest Hits, Vol I.<br /><br />Title on this CD is "John Henry".

 

[Boomyal]

Re: I need the name of a song.

Thanks JB. I have a 16lb sledge hammer that I bought back when I was able to swing it. (guess I still could if I had too) I always referred to it as my John Henry in recognition of the song as Harry sung it. I got the urge to hear it again today when I heard a neighbor breaking up some concrete with a sledge hammer. He was sounding like a real 'steel drivin' man. Bums me out that I cannot find my Belefonte CD

 

[PW2]

Re: I need the name of a song.

It's on the "Belafonte at Carnegie Hall" album, and called "John Henry"<br /><br />Says it was written by someone named Paul Campbell (or perhaps arranged by him) it's been around in various versions for a long time.<br /><br />I always thought the "shaker" was the guy who held the steel drill for the guy swinging the hammer--and called the shaker out of a case of nerves that the guy swinging the hammer might miss.

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: I need the name of a song.

Barlow there's a few links direct to 4 versions of the song below-couldn't find Harry Belafonte's version though.<br />I'm not 100% sure the top 3 are what you wanted, but the bottom one's definitely the right song. The others are awful good tho.<br /><br /> http://ia200041.eu.archive.org/hdb1/audio/eh2004-03-13.shnf/eh2004-03-13d1t8_64kb.mp3 <br /><br /> http://ia200104.eu.archive.org/hdb1...9-05.all.shnf/hfishman1999-09-05d3t01_vbr.mp3 <br /><br /> http://audio24.archive.org/2/audio/del2004-05-29.flac16/del2004-05-29d1t07_64kb.mp3 <br /><br /><br />And one you can hear the words on...<br /><br /> http://www.blue-suit.com/mp3/john_henry.mp3

 

[Realgun]

Re: I need the name of a song.

I am just a wee bit young to like that kinda music. I have heard that song thou many a time.<br /><br />I have a sledge to drive a wedge. I split wood for the firepalce in about a month I will have another cord and then in the summer it will dry. at 10% humidity and 90+ weather for the next three months.

 

[Bassy]

Re: I need the name of a song.

Never heard that song before,but that music is a part of my roots.