The Ballad of John Henry

John Henry was an American folk hero who, legend has it, built the mighty railroads that span the United States. While the character may or may not have been based on a real person, Henry became an important blue-collar icon as the saga of his race against a steam powered hammer developed mythic proportions. Bonamassa explained to the HMV magazine why he penned this tribute to the working class legend and made it the title track: "Here's a guy who historically went up against the machines, beat them and is remembered for it. It's ultimately about doing something so great and something that's remembered. For an album, that means passing its normal six-month shelf life and being remembered for 40 or 50 years. I tried to make an album that people would listen to long after I stop making music."