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