Big John

Big John



Every morning at the mine you could see him arrive

He stood six-foot-six and weighed two-forty-five

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

He just drifted into town and stayed all alone

He didn't say much, kinda quiet and shy

If ya spoke at all, ya just said hi to Big John

Somebody said he came from New Orleans

Where he got in a fight o'er a cajun queen

And a crashin' blow from a huge right hand

Sent a Lousianna fella 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

And everybody thought 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 the saggin' timber and gave out with a groan

And like a giant oak tree, 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 miner yelled out, there's a light up above

And twenty 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

As smoke and gas belched outta the 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 re-op