every morning at the mine

you could see him arrive

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

he kinda quiet and shy

and if you spoke at all

he just said hi to big john

send a louisiana fella to the promised 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 cryin' crime

manners were praying and hearts beat fast

and everybody thought that they'd breathe

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

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 wood bee grudge

with jacks and timbers they started back down

then came that rumble way down in the ground

and the smoke and gas belts out of that mind

everybody knew it was the end of the line

for big john big john big john big

bad john big john

stand in front of it

big john big john big bad

john big john big john big bad john