John Hardy by Ernest Stoneman Lyrics

[Intro & Harmonica Solo]

[Verse 1]
John Hardy was a wild and a reckless man
He cared not what he done
He killed two men in Shawnee Town
'Cause he was too nervy for to run
’Cause he was too nervy for to run

[Verse 2]
John Hardy was a gamblin' man
He lived in a gamblin' town
And now he’s sentenced to be hung
'Cause he shot another gambler down
'Cause he shot another gambler down

[Verse 3]
John Hardy was standin' by the barroom door
So drunk he could not see
Along come his woman five dollars in her hand
Said, "Count John Hardy in a game
Count John Hardy in a game"
[Verse 4]
John Hardy went staggerin' by the courthouse door
As drunk as he could bе
Along come the sheriff and took him by thе arm
Said, "John Hardy, come and go with me
John Hardy, come and go with me"

[Verse 5]
Friends and relations standin' around
Said, "John, what have you done?"
"I've killed two men in Shawnee Town
And I'm standin’ on my hangin’ ground
I am standin' on my hangin’ ground"

[Verse 6]
He said, "If I die a gamblin' man
Go bury me under the stand
A pick and shovel at my head and feet
And a jack of diamonds in my hand
A jack of diamonds in my hand"

[Verse 7]
John Hardy had a wife, and she lived in the west
She always dressed in blue
And when she heard of John Hardy's death
"John Hardy, I was true to you
John Hardy, I was true to you"
[Verse 8]
They took him to the riverside
He was willin' to be baptized
The last words I hear John Hardy say
"I wanna go to Heaven when I die
I wanna go to Heaven when I die"

[Harmonica Solo & Outro]