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The Ballad of John Hardy

from The Sun Studio Recordings by Chris Sutton

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about

Based on many, many versions of "John Hardy."

lyrics

The Ballad of John Hardy

Way down yonder in an old coal camp there lived the hardest man
He always kept a razor in his boot and a six-gun in his hand

John Hardy was standin' in the dice room door not a soul there new his name
'Till Frankie Jo walked in and threw five dollars down and said deal this poor boy in your game

John Hardy kept bettin' every hand he had but the cards wouldn't bring him no dough
So he shot the dealer dead and run off with the loot to split with little Frankie Jo

By day they chased him up the mountain, night time he'd shoot 'em back down
The finally caught him sleepin' in a hillside shack and took him in chains back to town

They led him throught town in shackles and chains to the McDowell County Jail
Left him sittin' there days and days and days, the judge denied his bail

Frankie Jo'd say, "John Hardy you know I'll always be true when I visit you in red
but the day you see me walk in dressed in black is the day they'll hang you dead

The judge said "John Hardy what you got to say boy 'fore I sentence you to die."
He said, "Judge I've been the death of many a poor boy but these six guns never told one lie."

And when the preacher come to visit John Hardy he said, "Boy don't you die in vain
best drop down your knees and pray to the Lord to save your soul today!"

But John Hardy said, "Preacher I've been to the east and I've been to the west and I've seen this whole world round
and I won't drop to my knees for God or man so take me to my hangin' ground

credits

from The Sun Studio Recordings, released November 17, 2013
traditional. written and arranged by Chris Sutton

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Chris Sutton Barboursville, West Virginia

Chris Sutton has been playing his original brand of blues and roots music for over a decade. In February 2017 he will compete the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, for the fourth time. Great songs, acoustic and slide player, powerful blues drenched vocals!!! ... more

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