Take this hammer take it to the captain take this hammer take it to the captain Take this hammer take it to the captain tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone If he asks you was I runnin' if he asks you was I runnin' If he asks you was I runnin' tell him I's flyin' tell him I's flyin' Tell the captain I was headed for the river tell the captain I was headed for the river Tell the captain I was headed for the river tell him I swim tell him I swim Take this hammer take it to the captain take this hammer take it to the captain Take this hammer take it to the captain tell him I'm gone gone gone tell him I'm gone When that steamboat comes down the river when that steamboat comes down the river When that steamboat comes down the river I'm a gonna swim when it comes by Twenty-five miles in Mississippi twenty-five miles in Mississippi Twenty-five miles in Mississippi tell him I'm gone gone gone tell him I'm gone Take this hammer take it to the captain take this hammer take it to the captain Take this hammer take it to the captain tell him I'm gone tell him I'm gone.