John Hardy was a desperate little man He carried two guns every day He killed a man in a Shawnee camp You ought to seen John Hardy gettin’ away, poor boy 
You ought to seen John Hardy gettin’ away 
John Hardy was standing at the barroom door Showing no interest in the game Up stepped a woman with a dollar in her hand Saying, Deal John Hardy in the game, poor boy Deal John Hardy in the game 
John Hardy took that yellow gal’s money And then he began to play Sayin’, The man that wins my yellow gal’s dollar I’ll lay him in his lonesome grave, poor boy I’ll lay him in his lonesome grave 
John Hardy drew a four card straight And the cowboy drew two a pair John failed to catch and the cowboy won And he left him sitting dead in his chair, poor boy He left him sitting dead in his chair 
John Hardy made for the Coalsburg train So dark he could hardly see Up stepped the constable and took him by the arm Saying, Johnny won’t you come and go with me, poor boy Johnny won’t you come and go with me 
I’ve been to the East and I’ve been to the West I’ve been this wide world around I’ve been to the river and I’ve been baptized And now I’m on my hanging ground, poor boy Now I’m on my hanging ground 
They took him to the scaffold high They hung him there to die The last words that John Hardy said Was, "My forty-four never lies," poor boy "My forty-four never lies." 
file from: www.traditionalmusic.co.uk 
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