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