John Hardy

Well, John Hardy was a vicious little man

He carried two guns every day

He shot down a man on the West Virginia line

I see John Hardy gettin' away, poor boy

See John Hardy gettin' away

Well, John Hardy went up to that free stone bridge

Where there, he thought he was free

A dare the man, who called nobody his own

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

Johnny come and go with me

John Hardy had a pretty little wife back home

The dress that she wore was blue

She come to the jail house with a loud shout

Said, "Johnny, I've been true to you", poor boy

"Johnny, I've been true to you", she said

John Hardy sent out to the East Coast

Sent for his folks to come and go his bail

But there was no bail allowed for the murderin' man

They sent John Hardy back to jail, poor boy

Sent John Hardy back to jail, back now

Who's going to shoe your pretty little feet

Who's gonna glove your hand

Who's gonna kiss your rosy red cheeks

It's gonna be that steel drivin' man, poor boy

"Be that steel drivin' man", she said

Now sittin' alone there in his cell

Now tears are rolling down his eyes

He's been the death of many, a poor man

And now, he is ready to die, poor boy

Now he is ready to die

Singin' "I've been to the east, I've been to the west"

I've seen this whole wide world around

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

Take me to my hanging in the ground, poor boy

"Take me to my hanging in the ground", she said

I [Incomprehensible] poor boy, poor boy