NINE POUND HAMMER (aka ROLL ON BUDDY*)
(Traditional)

The Hill Billies - 1927
Al Hopkins & His Buckle Busters - 1930
The Monroe Brothers - 1936
Merle Travis - 1944
The Stanley Brothers - 1956
The Brothers Four - 1962
Flatt & Scruggs - 1962
Bill Monroe - 1962
Lorne Greene - 1962
The Homesteaders - 1962
Johnny Cash - 1963
Jim & Jesse - 1963
Tom Rush - 1963
Hank Ferguson - 1963
Harry & Jeannie West - 1963
Ramblin' Jack Elliott - 1964*
Chet Atkins - 1964
The Kentucky Colonels - 1964
The Adcock Family - 1964
The Beau Brummels - 1967
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - 1972
John Prine - 1973
Country Store - 1973
Dick Curless - 1974
Harry Belafonte - 1974*
Norman Blake - 1976
Vassar Clements - 1976
Jerry Reed - 1979
Del McCoury - 1980*

Also recorded by: Waylon Jennings; Sanford Clark;
Tennessee Ernie Ford; Joe Mathis; Jim McReynolds;
Dickel Brothers; Don Reno; Jimmy Dean; Doc Watson;
The Country Gentlemen; Dan Crary & Lonnie Hoppers;
Osborne Brothers; Raymond Fairchild; Smiley Hobbs;
Tony Rice; Tony Ellis; Tex Williams; David Grisman;
The Blue Sky Boys; Cephas & Wiggins; Hank Thompson;
Tim Lake; Shirl Milete; The New Lost City Ramblers;
Paul Smith; Red Smiley; Red Allen & Frank Wakefield;
Roscoe Holcomb; Tommy Emmanuel:.....and many others.



This nine pound hammer
Is a little too heavy
For my size
Buddy, for my size

I'm going on the mountain
Just to see my baby
And I ain't coming back
No, I ain't coming back

Roll on buddy
Don't you roll so slow
How can I roll
When the wheels won't go

Roll on buddy
Pull a load of coal
How can I pull
When the wheels don't roll

There ain't one hammer
Down in this tunnel
That can ring like mine
That can ring like mine

This old hammer
It killed John Henry
Ain't gonna kill me
Ain't gonna kill me

Rings like silver
Shines like gold
Rings like silver
Shines like gold

Roll on buddy
Don't you roll so slow
How can I roll
When the wheels won't go

Roll on buddy
Pull a load of coal
How can I pull
When the wheels don't roll

It's a long way to Harlan
It's a long way to Hazard
Just to get a little brew
Just to get a little brew

And when I'm long gone
You can make my tombstone
Out of number nine coal
Out of number nine coal

Roll on buddy
Don't you roll so slow
How can I roll
When the wheels won't go

Roll on buddy
Pull a load of coal
How can I pull
When the wheels won't roll