John Henry
Background information: This ballad is based on a man whom folklorists believe to have been a real person. John Henry worked as a "Hammer Man" working on the Big Bend Tunnel in Talcott, West Virginia in the year 1870. The story of the ballad is about the competition between John Henry and the modern steam drill. John won the contest, but lost his life in the process by working himself to death. There is a statue of Henry that stands tall outside of the Big Bend Tunnel to this day, and it is said that his ghost can still be found lingering in the tunnel (Matteson, 2008; Wiser, 1999).
-For additional images of John Henry and his story can be found here: http://www.mattesonart.com/blog.aspx - This site also contains more background information about the song under the tab "Bluegrass Series"
Click the button below to download the sheet music
Video recording
Lesson Plans
Idea #1
-Sing the first verse for the students.
-Discuss what a legend and a tall tale are. In that they are stories passed from person to person in order to entertain and inspire, but that over time the tellings become exaggerated and new parts are added. That is what happened to John Henry.
-Sing the whole ballad and ask students to listen and think what parts of the story might be real and what might be made up.
-Share the history of John Henry.
Idea #2
-Have students keep the beat by taking a small step to the side, then feet together, then step to the other side, and then feet back together. Have students come up with other movements that can be done to keep the beat for each verse.
Idea #3
-Create a four beat ostinato using instruments that have a sharp metallic sound to imitate a hammer sound. You could also use a train whistle.
Idea #4
-Play the bass line using barred instruments or solfege
Idea #5
-The accompaniment uses only three chords (I, IV7, and V7) and can be played by an appropriate instrument
