John Hardy was a desperate little man He carried two guns every day He shot a man on the West Virginia line And you ought to see John Hardy getting away John Hardy got to the east stone bridge He thought that he would be free And up stepped a man and took him by his arm Saying Johnny, walk along with me He sent for his poppy and his mommy too To come and go his bail But money won't go a murdering case And they locked John Hardy back in jail John Hardy had a pretty little girl That dress that she wore was blue As she came skipping through the old jail hall Saying Poppy, I been true to you John Hardy had another little girl That dress that she wore was red She followed John Hardy to his hanging ground Saying Poppy, I would rather be dead "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 it's now I'm on my hanging ground" John Hardy walked out on his scaffold high With his loving little wife by his side And the last words she heard poor John-O say "I'll meet you in that sweet bye and bye"