v.1
Every mornin' at the mine you could see him arrive
He stood six-foot-six an' weighed 245
Kinda broad at the shoulder, narrow at the hip
An' ever'body knew you didn't give no lip to Big John
Big John, big John -- Big Bad John

v.2
Nobody seemed to know where John called home
He just drifted into town an' stayed all alone
He didn't say much, kinda quiet an' shy
An' if you spoke at all, you just said "hi" to Big John

Some people said he was from New Orleans
Where he got in a fight over a Cajun queen
An' a crashin' blow from a huge right hand
Sent a Louisiana fellow to the Promised Land, Big John
Big John, big John -- Big Bad John

v.3
Then came that day at the bottom of the mine
When a timber cracked an' men started cryin'
Miners were prayin' an' hearts beat fast
Ever'body thought they'd breathed their last, 'cept John

Thru the dust an' the smoke of this man-made hell
Walked a giant of a man, that the miners knew well
Grabbed the saggin' timber an' gave out with a groan
An' like a giant ol' tree, he just stood there alone, Big John
Big John, big John -- Big Bad John

v.4
With all his strength he gave a mighty shove
Then a miner yelled out "There's a light up above!"
Twenty men scrambled from a would-be grave
Now there's only one left down there to save, Big John

With jacks an' timbers they started back down
Then came that rumble 'way down in the ground
An' smoke an' gas belched outta that mine
An' ever'body knew it was the end of the line for Big John
Big John, big John -- Big Bad John

v.5
Now they never re-opened that worthless pit
They just placed a marble stand in front of it
These few words were written on that stand:
At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man -- Big John
Big John, big John -- Big Bad John