Big Bad John
Composer(s): Roy Acuff; Jimmy Dean
Originally performed by: Jimmy Dean



(Big John, Big John) 
Ev'ry mornin' 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 
And everybody knew ya 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 
And if you spoke at all, you just said "Hi" to Big John 

Somebody said he came from New Orleans 
Where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen 
And a crashin' blow from a huge right hand 
Sent a Loosiana fellow 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 that 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 a saggin' timber, gave out with a groan 
And like a giant oak tree he 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 
And then smoke and gas belched out of that 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 reopened that worthless pit 
They just placed a marble stand in front of it 
These few words are written on that stand 
At the bottem of this mine lies one hell of a man big john 
(Big John, Big John) Big Bad John (Big John) 

(Big John, Big John) Big Bad John (Big John)