John Hardy, he was a desperate little man 
 He carried two guns every day
 He shot a man on the West Virginia line
 I seen John Hardy getting’ away poor boy
 I seen John Hardy getting’ away
 
 John Hardy went up on that Freestone bridge
 He thought he was free
 Up came a man and he caught him by the arm 
 Said "Johnny, come and go with me poor boy,
 Johnny, come and go with me"
 
 John Hardy had a mother and a father too
 He begged them to come and go his bail
 There was no bail allowed for the murderin’ man
 They chased John Hardy back in jail poor boy
 They chased John Hardy back in jail
 
 John Hardy he had a pretty little wife 
 And the dress she wore was blue
 She come to the jailhouse with a loud shout
 Said “Johnny I been true to you poor boy,
 Johnny I been true to you”
 
 John Hardy, was standing in his cell
 And tears are rollin’ down his eyes
 Said, "I have been at the death of many a poor man
 And now I am ready to die poor boy
 And now I am ready to die"
 
 I’ve been to the east I've been to the west 
 I've been the whole wide world around
 I've been to the river and I've been to baptized
 Take me to my hanging ground Lord, Lord
 And take me to my hanging ground