Classic Poem

John Hardy was standing in the gambling room door,
He was not concerned in the game.
Up stepped his little woman, threw down fifty cents,
Says, ‘Count John Hardy in the game.’
Lord, Lord, says, ‘Count John Hardy in the game.’

John Hardy picked up his fifty cents,
Says, ‘Half of this I'll play.
The man that wins my fifty cents,
Shoot him down and leave him lay.’
Lord, Lord! ‘Shoot him down and leave him lay.’

John Hardy lost his fifty cents;
Was all he had in the game.
He drew a forty-four from his side,
Blowed out that poor negro's brains,
Lord, Lord! blowed out that poor negro's brains.

John Hardy had ten miles to go,
And half of that he run;
He ran till he came to the broad river bank.
He fell to his breast and swum.
Lord, Lord! he fell to his breast and swum.

John Hardy was lying on the broad river bank,
As drunk as a man could be.
Up stepped John Gamel and another police,
Says, ‘John, come go with me,
John Hardy, come go with me.’

They took John Hardy to have his trial.
No one would go his bail.
His father and mother was standing by
When they locked John Hardy up in jail,
Lord, Lord! when they locked John Hardy up in jail.

John Hardy had but one little girl;
He kept her dressed in red.
And when she saw her papa through the cold iron bars
Says, ‘Mama, I had rather see him dead.’
Lord, Lord! says, ‘Mama, I had rather see him dead.’

‘Oh, when I die don't bury me at all,
Put me down in a silver gum.
Sing the songs my father used to sing,
With a big brass horn blow on.
Blow on! with a big brass horn blow on.’

The last time I saw John Hardy's face
He was standing on a scaffold high.
The last word I heard John Hardy say
Was ‘I want to go to heaven when I die.’
Lord, Lord! was ‘I want to go to heaven when I die.’