The Reverend Double J: Music

John Hardy (rough mix)

(J.J. Vicars)

traditional (arr. J.J. Vicars)

An old folk song from the 1800's recorded in many forms by many different artists. Woody Guthrie had a variation called JOHNNY HART which John Mellencamp recorded on his TROUBLE NO MORE album. Long a staple of the acoustic show, there's also a video on the YouTube channel.

John Hardy was a desperate little man He wore a gun everyday Shot down a man on the free state line Should have seen John Hardy gettin' away They caught old John Hardy On the Tombstone bridge He thought that he was free But the deputy sheriff grabbed him by the arm He said "Johnny come and go with me, boy Johnny come and go with me" John Hardy had a mother and father Trying to go his bail But there was no bail out for the murdering man They threw John Hardy back in jail, yes they did They threw John Hardy back in jail John Hardy had a pretty little wife The dress that she wore was blue She went to the jailhouse and fell down on her knees She said "Johnny I've been true to you, yes I have Johnny I've been true to you" John Hardy stood in his jail cell Tears rolling down his eyes "I've been the death of many an honest man Now I am going to die, oh Lord Now I am going to die" I've been to the East and I've been to the West I've been this whole wide world around I've been up North and I've been way down South Now take me to my hangman's ground, boys Take me to my hangman's ground