john hardy he was a desperate little man he carried two guns every day he shot a man on the west virginia line might have seen john hardy getting away poor boy might have seen john hardy getting away john hardy went up upon that freestone bridge there he thought he would be free up stepped a deputy and he caught him by the arm saying johnny come and go with me poor boy johnny come and go with me johnny come and go with me poor boy johnny come and go with me john hardy had a mother and a father too he sent for them to come and go his bail there was not no bail out for a murdering man they shaved john hardy back in jail poor boy and they shaved john hardy back in jail and they shaved john hardy back in jail poor boy they shaved john hardy back in jail john hardy had a purdy little wife that mrs oh she wore what blew she came to the jailhouse with a loud shout she saying johnny ive been true to you poor boy johnny ive been true to you johnny ive been true to you poor boy johnny ive been true to you john hardy was standing in his cell with tears a rolling down his eye ive been the death of a many poor boy and now i am ready to die lord lord now i am ready to die and now i am ready to die lord lord and now i am ready to die go ahead and die uh huh i ve been to the east i ve been to the west i ve been this whole wide world round i ve been to the east river and i ve been baptised now take me to my hanging ground lord now take me to my hanging ground