John Hardy was a desperate little man
He carried two guns every day
He shot a man on the West Virginia line
And you ought to see John Hardy getting away
John Hardy got to the east stone bridge
He thought that he would be free
And up stepped a man and took him by his arm
Saying Johnny, walk along with me
He sent for his poppy and his mommy too
To come and go his bail
But money won't go a murdering case
And they locked John Hardy back in jail
John Hardy had a pretty little girl
That dress that she wore was blue
As she came skipping through the old jail hall
Saying Poppy, I been true to you
John Hardy had another little girl
That dress that she wore was red
She followed John Hardy to his hanging ground
Saying Poppy, I would rather be dead
"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
And it's now I'm on my hanging ground"
John Hardy walked out on his scaffold high
With his loving little wife by his side
And the last words she heard poor John-O say
"I'll meet you in that sweet bye and bye"