They say John Hardy was a bad man
Low down and desperate too
But you don't see the dark
That lurks in the heart, until you do
verse 2
By then it's always too late
And somebody's got to pay
In this case a man
Who tried to steal a ham and get away
"The love you gave me, couldn't save me"
From his lips to god, he whispered
"Don't you count on me
"Don't you count on me"
I've done you wrong
A mother's son is gone
verse 3
In one hand he held his pistol steady
In the other, his drink, so well
He toasted his friends
"I'll see you all again, someday in hell
verse 4
He made his way to Virginia
They caught him on the track
Shackled and chained
They threw him on a train and sent him back
"The love you gave me, couldn't save me"
From his lips to god, he whispered
"Don't you count on me
"Don't you count on me"
I've done you wrong
A mother's son is gone
Verse 5
In prison he started to praying
Was washed at the river bank
The sentence handed out
Left him little doubt that he would hang
Verse 6
And the good people came in from miles
The biggest crowd this town had ever seen
And when the preacher sang
We saw John Hardy hang, we were redeemed
"The love I gave you, couldn't save you"
From the lips of god, who whispered
"Don't you count on me
"Don't you count on me"
I've done you wrong
A mother's son is gone
Outro
Come home (come home)
Come home (come home)
Poor boy, won't you come home
Come home (come home)
Come home (come home)
Poor boy, won't you come home