John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man

John Hardy was a desperate little man

He carried two guns every day

He shot a man on the West Virginia line

And you ought to see John Hardy getting away

John Hardy got to the east stone bridge

He thought that he would be free

And up stepped a man and took him by the arm

Saying Johnny, walk along with me

He sent for his poppy and his mommy too

To come and go his bail

But money won't go on a murdering case

And they locked John Hardy back in jail

John Hardy had a pretty little girl

The dress that she wore was blue

As she came skipping through the old jail hall

Saying Poppy, I been true to you

John Hardy had another little girl

The dress that she wore was red

She followed John Hardy to his hanging ground

Saying Poppy, I would rather be dead

"I've been to the east and I've been to the west

I've been this wide world around

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

And it's now I'm on my hanging ground"

John Hardy walked out on his scaffold high

With his loving little wife by his side

And the last words she heard poor John-O say

"I'll meet you in that sweet bye and bye"