This recording is of one of several old-time fiddle tune variants of "John Henry." Here, Schnaufer plays with a metal slide upon the lyre-shaped hole Tennessee music box from his personal collection.
This old-time fiddle tune is known either as "Barlow Knife" or as "Cabin Creek."
The lyrics are typically presented as follows:
I been livin' here all my life,All I got is a Barlow Knife;Buckhorn handle and a Barlow blade,Best dang knife that ever…