About The Song
“Big Bad John” is a country song written and composed by Jimmy Dean. It was released in September 1961 and quickly rose to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 by early November. This iconic tune celebrates the quintessential American values of strength, bravery, and perseverance.
The song tells the story of a quiet miner named Big John, known for his mysterious and imposing presence. He is six foot, six inches tall, weighs 245 pounds, and hails from New Orleans. According to legend, he once killed a man with a single blow of his massive right hand during a dispute over a Cajun Queen. But Big John’s true heroism is revealed underground.
While working in a mine, disaster strikes when a support timber cracks, and the situation seems hopeless. However, Big John uses his strength to open a passage, allowing 20 other miners to escape. Just as rescuers prepare to re-enter with the necessary tools, the mine collapses completely, and Big John is presumed dead. A marble statue stands in front of the mine with the inscription: “At the bottom of this mine lies one hell of a man – Big John.” Some song versions replace the last line with “lies a big, big man” to avoid profanity.
The impact of ‘Big Bad John’ extended far beyond the music charts, leaving an enduring imprint on American folklore. It garnered Jimmy Dean the esteemed 1962 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording and was a strong contender for the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. The song’s sequels, including ‘My Big John’ and ‘The Cajun Queen,’ further enriched the stories woven around this larger-than-life character, solidifying his place in our cultural legacy.
So, the next time you hear those opening chords, remember the indomitable spirit of Big Bad John echoing through the shafts of the mine, paying tribute to the hardworking men and women who risk their lives daily to make a living.
Video
Lyrics
Big John
Big John
Ev’ry mornin’ at the mine you could see him arrive
He stood six foot six and weighed 245
Kinda broad at the shoulder and narrow at the hip
And everybody knew, ya didn’t give no lip to Big John
Big Bad John
(Big John)
Nobody seemed to know where John called home
He just drifted into town and stayed all alone
He didn’t say much, he kinda quiet and shy
And if you spoke at all, he just said, “Hi” to Big John
Somebody said he came from New Orleans
Where he got in a fight over a Cajun Queen
And a crashin’ blow from a huge right hand
Sent a Louisiana fellow to the Promised Land, Big John
Big Bad John
(Big John)
Then came the day at the bottom of the mine
When a timber cracked and men started cryin’
Miners were prayin’ and hearts beat fast
And everybody thought that they’d breathed their last, ‘cept John
Through the dust and the smoke of this man-made hell
Walked a giant of a man that the miners knew well
Grabbed a saggin’ timber, gave out with a groan
And like a giant Oak tree, he just stood there alone, Big John
Big Bad John
(Big John)
And with all of his strength he gave a mighty shove
Then a miner yelled out, “There’s a light up above”
And 20 men scrambled from a would-be grave
Now there’s only one left down there to save, Big John
With jacks and timbers they started back down
Then came that rumble way down in the ground
And then smoke and gas belched out of that mine
Everybody knew it was the end of the line for Big John
Big Bad John
(Big John)
Now they never reopened that worthless pit
They just placed a marble stand in front of it
These few words are written on that stand
“At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man, Big John”
Big Bad John
(Big John)
(Big John)
Big Bad John