John Hardy

John Hardy, he was a desperate little man

He carried two guns every day

He shot a man on the West Virginia line

I seen John Hardy getting’ away poor boy

I seen John Hardy getting’ away

John Hardy went up on that Freestone bridge

He thought he was free

Up came a man and he caught him by the arm

Said "Johnny, come and go with me poor boy,

Johnny, come and go with me"

John Hardy had a mother and a father too

He begged them to come and go his bail

There was no bail allowed for the murderin’ man

They chased John Hardy back in jail poor boy

They chased John Hardy back in jail

John Hardy he had a pretty little wife

And the dress she wore was blue

She come to the jailhouse with a loud shout

Said “Johnny I been true to you poor boy,

Johnny I been true to you”

John Hardy, was standing in his cell

And tears are rollin’ down his eyes

Said, "I have been at the death of many a poor man

And now I am ready to die poor boy

And now I am ready to die"

I’ve been to the east I've been to the west

I've been the whole wide world around

I've been to the river and I've been to baptized

Take me to my hanging ground Lord, Lord

And take me to my hanging ground