Gun Club: "John Hardy" (from the "Miami" album)


 
the following lick will be played sometimes at the end of the verse lines, but with still
holding the E chord:
 
--3--0--
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intro = verse (the opening A chord guitar only)

            A           E
Well, John Hardy was a vicious little man
    A                      E
he carried two guns every day
    A                      E
he shot down a man on the West Virginia line
   C        D              E
I see John Hardy gettin' away, poor boy
 C        D              E
see John Hardy gettin' away


Well, John Hardy went up to that free stone bridge
where there, he thought he was free
a death to men, who called nobody his own
said, "Johnny come and go with me", poor boy
"Johnny come and go with me."


John Hardy had a pretty little wife back home
the dress that she wore was blue
she come to the jailhouse with a loud shout
said, "Johnny, I've been true to you", poor boy
"Johnny, I've been true to you."


she said, ... (guitar solo = verse)


John Hardy sent out to the East Coast
sent for his folks to come and go his bail
but there was no bail allowed for the murderin' man
they sent John Hardy back to jail, poor boy
sent John Hardy back to jail


Right now who's going to shoe your pretty little feet
who's gonna glove your hand
who's gonna kiss your rosy red cheek
it's gonna be that steel drivin' man, poor boy
be that steel drivin' man


she said, ... (guitar solo = verse)


Now he's sittin' alone there in his cell
where tears are rolling down his eyes
he's been the death of many a poor man
and now he is ready to die, poor boy
now he is ready to die


Singin' "I've been to the east, I've been to the west
I've seen this whole wide world around
I've been to the river and I've been baptized
take me to my hanging in the ground, poor boy
take me to my hanging in the ground"


she said, ... (guitar solo = verse)

note: the original version as performed by The Carter Family, who did the first recording of this traditional folk ballad back in 1928, was played a little bit different:

      E     A     B
John Hardy was a desperate little man
    E           A          B
he carried two guns every day
     E     A          B
he shot a man on the West Virginia line
            B             F#             B    F#   B
and you're watching John Hardy gettin' away


Lyrics and guitar tabs