John Hardy Was A Desperate Little Man
A. P. Carter Lyrics

John Hardy was a desperate little man
John Hardy was a man filled with desperation

He carried two guns every day
He carried two guns wherever he went on a daily basis

He shot down a man on that West Virginia line
He killed somebody on the West Virginia border

You ought a seen John Hardy getting away
You should have seen John Hardy running away

John Hardy stood in that old barroom
John Hardy was standing in an old barroom

So drunk that he could not see
He was so drunk that he couldn't see properly

And a man walked up and took him by the arm
A man approached him and took him by his arm

He said Johnny, come and go along with me Poor boy
He asked Johnny to come along with him

Johnny, come and walk along with me
Johnny, come with me for a walk

John Hardy stood in his old jail cell
John Hardy was standing in his old jail cell

The tears running down from his eyes
He was crying and tears were falling from his eyes

He said I've been the death of many a poor boy
He admitted that he had killed many innocent people

But my six-shooters never told a lie No, my six-shooters never told a lie
He believed that his guns were always telling the truth

The first one to visit John Hardy in his cell
The first person to visit John Hardy in his cell

Was a little girl dressed in blue
A young girl wearing blue clothes came to see him

She came down to that old jail cell
She went into the old jail cell

She said Johnny, I've been true to you God knows
She told Johnny that she had been faithful to him

Johnny, I've been true to you
Johnny, I have always been loyal to you

The next one to Visit John Hardy in his cell
Another person came to visit John Hardy in his cell

Was a little girl dressed in red
A young girl wearing red clothes came to see him

She come down to that old jail cell
She walked into the old jail cell

She said, Johnny, I had rather see you dead
She told Johnny that she would rather see him dead

Well, Johnny, I had rather see you dead
I would prefer it if you were dead, Johnny

I've been to the East and I've been to the West
I have traveled to the East and to the West

I've traveled this wide world around
I have gone all around this wide world

I've been to that river and I've been baptized
I have been to that river and I have been baptized

So take me to my burying ground
Take me to my final resting place

So take me to my burying ground
Lead me to where I will be buried when I die

John Hardy was a desperate little man
John Hardy was a man who was steeped in desperation

He carried two guns every day
He had a habit of carrying two guns with him always

He shot down a man on the West Virginia line
He killed somebody on the West Virginia border

You ought to seen old John Hardy getting away
You should have watched John Hardy escape