JOHN HARDY
(learned from Barry Olivier in 1958 or 1959 and sung at Teton Tea Parties;- one of the most popular of murder ballads, i don't know why)
John Hardy was a desperate little man,
John Hardy stood at the gamblin' table,
John Hardy took the yellow-haired gal's money
John Hardy drew to a four-card straight
John Hardy was standing by the barroom door
John Hardy had a pretty little woman,
John Hardy's father came to time
The night John Hardy was to be hung
John Hardy stood in the cold jail cell,
They took John Hardy to the hargin' ground,
I've been to the East, I've been to the West,
(from miriam berg's folksong collection)
He carried two guns ev'ry day
He shot down a man 'way out in the West
You oughta seen John Hardy get away, poor boy,
You oughta seen John Hardy get away.
Didn't have no interest in the game;
Up stepped a yellow-haired gal, threw a dollar down
Said, Deal John Hardy in the game, poor boy,
Deal John Hardy in the game.
And then he began to play
Said, The man that wins the yellow-haired gal's money
I'll lay him in his lonesome grave,.....
The Chinaman drew to a pair;
John failed to catch and the Chinaman won
John left him sittin' in his chair,.....
So drunk he could not stand;
Up stepped the sheriff, and took him by the arm,
Said, Johnny, come and go with me,.....
She was dressed in blue,
She cried out with a loud little shriek,
Johnny, I'll be true to you,.....
Come for to go his bail,
No bail was allowed for a murderin' man,
So they shoved John Hardy back into jail,.....
There came a storm and hail,
Blowed the hangin' scaffold down,
So they took John Hardy back to jail,.....
The tear runnin' down his eye,
Said, I've been the death of many a poor man,
And now I'm ready to die, poor boy,.....
They strung him up to die,
The very last words I heard him say,
My fort gun never told a lie, poor boy,...
I've travelled this wide world round,
I've been to the river and I've been baptized,
Now take me to my burial ground, poor boy,.....