Jimmy Dean “Big Bad John”

“Big Bad John” is a legendary country song penned and composed by Jimmy Dean. It was first released in September 1961 and quickly rose to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, earning Dean the coveted 1962 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording.

“I wrote the song in an hour and a half while flying to Nashville for a recording session.”

The classic song tells the tale of a mysterious and imposing character known as Big John, a six-foot-six-inch miner from New Orleans. He allegedly killed a man in a brawl over a Cajun Queen. Despite his imposing size, John is quiet and keeps to himself.
One day, disaster strikes at the mine where John works. A support timber cracks and 20 other miners are trapped. All hope seems lost until Big John steps in. He opens a passage with immense strength, allowing the miners to escape. Just as they’re about to return with tools to save him, the mine collapses, and John is believed dead.

A marble stand is placed in front of the mine, bearing the inscription: “At the bottom of this mine lies one hell of a man – Big John.” Some versions replace “hell” with “big, big man” to avoid profanity. The song is so popular that it has spawned several sequels, including “My Big John,” told from the perspective of the Cajun Queen who drove John away; “The Cajun Queen,” which describes Queenie’s arrival, her rescue of John, and their eventual marriage (complete with 110 grandchildren); and “Little Bitty Big John,” which concludes the story with John’s son learning about his father’s heroic act.
Thanks to Jimmy Dean’s clever lyrics and catchy beats, “Big Bad John” has become a beloved country music classic that has left an indelible mark on musical history.