Jimmy Dean - Big Bad John

BIG BAD JOHNis a country song originally performed byJimmy Dean and composed by Dean and RoyAcuff. Released in September 1961, by thebeginning of November it went to number oneon the Billboard Hot 100 and won Dean the1962 Grammy Award for Best Country &Western Recording.* The Jordainares sing backup on this song.* Floyd Cramer was to play piano backup but suggested that a hammer hitting steel would be better! Floyd has no ego problem. Everyone wanted this to be a big hit for Jimmy, one he badly needed.Visit SongFacts for some interesting tidbits about the song: http://www.songfacts.com/detai... artists that covered Big Bad John:(source: Wikipedia)Johnny CashJim Ed Brown Henson Cargill Charlie Daniels Sammy Davis, Jr. Deadbolt Tex Williams Tennessee Ernie Ford --LYRICS--Big JohnBig JohnEvery morning at the mine you could see him arriveHe stood six-foot-six and weighed two-forty-fiveKinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hipEverybody knew you didn't give no lip to Big JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnNobody seemed to know where John called homeHe just drifted into town and stayed all aloneHe didn't say much, kinda quiet and shyIf ya spoke at all, ya just said hi to Big JohnSomebody said he came from New OrleansWhere he got in a fight o'er a cajun queenAnd a crashin' blow from a huge right handSent a Lousianna fella to the promised land, Big JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnThen came the day at the bottom of the mineWhen a timber cracked and men started cryin'Miners were prayin' and hearts beat fastAnd everybody thought they'd breathed their last, 'cept JohnThrough the dust and the smoke of this man-made hellWalked a giant of a man that the miners knew wellGrabbed the saggin' timber and gave out with a groanAnd like a giant oak tree, just stood there alone, Big JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnAnd with all of his strength he gave a mighty shoveThen a miner yelled out, there's a light up aboveAnd twenty men scrambled from a would-be gravenow there's only one left down there to save, Big JohnWith jacks and timbers they started back downThen came that rumble way down in the groundAs smoke and gas belched outta the mineEverybody knew it was the end of the line for Big JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnNow, they never re-opened that worthless pitThey just placed a marble stand in front of itThese few words are written on that stand,At the bottom of this mine lies one Hell of a man, Big JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnBig JohnBig Bad JohnBig JohnThe song and its sequel tell a story typical of American folklore, reminiscent of Paul Bunyan or John Henry.Big Bad John was also the title of a 1990 television movie starring Dean.

Channel: Music
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: bmcneese45a

Length: 03:02
Rating: 4.88
Views: 404141

Tags: bad  big  country  dean  jimmy  john  pop  western  

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