One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down
And I won't have to drag this weight around
When there ain't no hunger
And there ain't no pain
Then I won't have to swing this thing
One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down

One of these nights I'm gonna sing a different tune
All night long beneath the silvery moon
When the war is over
And the union's strong
Won't sing no more angry songs
One of these nights I'm gonna sing a different tune

Someday when my struggle's through
I won't have to strive
Until then all I can do
Is let my hammer fly

One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down
Leave my burden restin' on the ground
When the air don't choke ya and the ocean's clean
And kids don't die for gasoline
One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down

John Henry was a mighty man
Worked his whole life long
When he made that hammer ring
He always sang this song

One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down
And I won't have to drag this weight around
When there ain't no hunger
And there ain't no pain
Then I won't have to swing this thing
One of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down

Yeah, one of these days I'm gonna lay this hammer down