Burl Ives - John Hardy

 

John Hardy was a desperate little man 

He carried two guns every day 

He shot down a man on that West Virginia line 

You ought a seen John Hardy getting away 

You ought to seen John Hardy getting away



John Hardy stood in that old barroom 

So drunk that he could not see 

And a man walked up and took him by the arm 

He said Johnny, come and go along with me Poor boy

Johnny, come and walk along with me 



John Hardy stood in his old jail cell 

The tears running down from his eyes 

He said I've been the death of many a poor boy 

But my six-shooters never told a lie 

No, my six-shooters never told a lie



The first one to visit John Hardy in his cell 

Was a little girl dressed in blue 

She came down to that old jail cell

She said Johnny, I've been true to you God knows

Johnny, I've been true to you 



The next one to Visit John Hardy in his cell 

Was a little girl dressed in red 

She come down to that old jail cell 

She said, Johnny, I had rather see you dead 

Well, Johnny, I had rather see you dead 



I've been to the East and I've been to the West 

I've traveled this wide world around 

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

So take me to my burying ground 

So take me to my burying ground 



John Hardy was a desperate little man 

He carried two guns every day 

He shot down a man on the West Virginia line 

You ought to seen old John Hardy getting away 

You ought to seen old John Hardy getting away