john hardy was a desperate little man he carried two guns every day he shot down a man on that west virginia line you ought a seen john hardy getting away you ought to seen john hardy getting away john hardy stood in that old barroom so drunk that he could not see and a man walked up and took him by the arm he said johnny come and go along with me poor boy johnny come and walk along with me john hardy stood in his old jail cell the tears running down from his eyes he said i ve been the death of many a poor boy but my six shooters never told a lie no my six shooters never told a lie the first one to visit john hardy in his cell was a little girl dressed in blue she came down to that old jail cell she said johnny i ve been true to you god knows johnny i ve been true to you  the next one to visit john hardy in his cell was a little girl dressed in red she come down to that old jail cell she said johnny i had rather see you dead well johnny i had rather see you dead i ve been to the east and i ve been to the west i ve traveled this wide world around i ve been to that river and i ve been baptized so take me to my burying ground so take me to my burying ground 