John Hardy

Traditional

Tommy Jarrell

John Hardy, was a wild, reckless man

Carried two guns every day.
He shot the conductor on the north bound train

And they put John Hardy back in jail poor boy

put John Hardy back in jail poor boy

Oh he’s been to the East and I been to the West,
He’s been this old world all around.
He’s been to the river and he’s been baptized,
But now he’s on his hanging ground, poor boy

now he’s on his hanging ground

John Hardy had a wife and she lived in the west

She was always dressed in blue

And when she heard John Hardy was dead

John Hardy I’ve been true to you, poor boy

John Hardy I’ve been true to you

They dug his grave with a silver spade

Gold chain to let him down

His friends and relations all crowded around

When they laid him in the cold damp ground

When they laid him in the cold damp ground