John Hardy

John Hardy was a desperate little man Carried a razor every day He killed a man on the West Virginia line Should'a seen John Hardy gettin' away John Hardy had a pretty little gal The dress she wore was blue She came skippin' thru the old jailhouse Sayin' "Pappy, I'll be true to you" And John Hardy has another little gal The dress she wore was red She followed John Hardy to his hanging grounds Sayin' "Pappy, I would rather be dead" John Hardy stood in that old barroom So drunk he could not see Sheriff came by and took him by the hand "Johnny comе and go with me" And the man John Hardy was to be hung Thеre came a storm and a hail And the wind blew the hanging scaffold down Threw John Hardy back in jail Well I been to the east and I been to the west I been this wide world 'round I been to the river and I been baptized Take me to my burying grounds