Lyrics:

John Hardy was a brave little man
He carried two guns evry day
Killed him a man in the West Virginia land
Oughta seen poor Johnny gettin away, Lord, Lord
Oughta seen poor Johnny gettin away
John Hardy was standin at the barroom door
He didnt have a hand in the game
Up stepped his woman and threw down fifty cents
Says, Deal my man in the game, Lord, Lord...
John Hardy lost that fifty cents
It was all he had in the game
He drew the forty-four that he carried by his side
Blowed out that poor Negros brains, Lord, Lord...
John Hardy had ten miles to go
And half of that he run
He run till he come to the broad river bank
He fell to his breast and he swum, Lord, Lord...
He swum till he came to his mothers house
My boy, what have you done?
Ive killed a man in the West Virginia Land
And I know that I have to be hung, Lord, Lord...
He asked his mother for a fifty-cent piece
My son, I have no change
Then hand me down my old forty-four
And Ill blow out my agurvatin (sic) brains, Lord, Lord...
John Hardy was lyin on the broad river bank
As drunk as a man could be
Up stepped the police and took him by the hand
Sayin Johnny, come and go with me, Lord, Lord...
John Hardy had a pretty little girl
The dress she wore was blue
She come a-skippin through the old jail hall
Sayin, Poppy, Ill be true to you, Lord, Lord...
John Hardy had another little girl
The dress that she wore was red
She came a-skippin through the old jail hall
Sayin Poppy, Id rather be dead, Lord, Lord...
They took John Hardy to the hangin ground
They hung him there to die
The very last words that poor boy said
My forty gun never told a lie, Lord, Lord...
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