[Traditional, arranged by Bones]
Well John Hardy was a desperate little man
Carried a razor every day.
He killed a man on the West Virginia Line
Lord you should have seen
John Hardy gettin' away.
And John Hardy made it to the
Eastbound bridge
But the eastbound train was late.
The sheriff came by and took him by the hand
Sayin', Johnny walk along with me.
And John Hardy had a pretty little girl
The dress she wore was blue.
She came a-skippin' through the old jail hall
Singin', Poppy I'll be true to you.
And John Hardy had another little girl
The dress she wore was red.
She followed John Hardy to his hanging ground
Singin', Poppy I would rather be dead.
And the night John Hardy was to be hung
There came a storm and a hail.
The wind blew the hanging scaffold down
And they threw John Hardy back in jail.
Boys 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
Now take me to my buryin' ground.