The idea of the nine-pound hammer to the hard-working men who either drove four-inch spikes into hard oak or hickory or gum ties that had laid in a stack alongside the right-of-way of the railroad for, oh, six months at a time sometimes, and were seasoned so hard that they were almost like iron themselves,or either drove a huge steel drill bit into solid stone so they could pour in blasting powder and blast out rock for tunnels through mountains, has been a theme for songs in different versions.They talk about it in John Henry. There's another one that comes from the Kentucky mining area called Roll-On Buddy that sings all about the nine-pound hammer.Roll on, buddy, pull the load of coal How can I pull when the wheels won't roll? It's a long way to Harlem, a long way to Hazard Just to get a little brew, just to get a little brewRoll on, buddy, and make your time I done broke down and I can't make mineThis nine-pound hammer rings like silver Yeah, it rings like silver and it shines like gold The nine-pound hammer done killed John Henry It ain't gonna kill me, Lord, it won't kill meRoll on, buddy, and make your time I done broke down and I can't make mineYou can take this hammer and give it to the captain Buddy, tell him I'm gone, you can tell him I'm goneAnd if he asks you where I done gone to Tell him you don't know, no, buddy, you don't know Roll on, buddy, pull the load of coal Now, how can I pull when the wheels won't roll?