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The Ballad of John Hardy

by Guilherme Boisson

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    A bonus instrumental track entitled "The Descent" is included with the full-album download.
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    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of The Ballad of John Hardy, Hang Me, Oh Hang Me (Acoustic Version), and John Hardy (Acoustic Version). , and , .

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1.
John Hardy 04:12
lyrics
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John Hardy was a mighty poor boy He carried two guns everyday He shot a man in West Virginia line Won’t you see John Hardy getting away He flew away to the East Stone Bridge Thinking that he would be free Police man came and grabbed him by the arm Said: Johnny, come along with me [Hare, Hare, Hare, Hare a Hare, Hare a, Hare a] 2X John Hardy had a pretty little girl The dress she wore was blue She came into the jailhouse and said Johnny Ill always love you John Hardy he had another little girl The dress she wore was red She came into the jailhouse and said Johnny I would rather be dead Hare, Hare, Hare, Hare a Hare, Hare a, Hare a I’ve been to the East and I’ve been to the West I’ve travelled this whole world ‘round I’ve been to the Rockies and I’ve been baptized Now I am on my hanging ground Hare, Hare, Hare, Hare a Hare, Hare a, Hare a [4X]
2.
Hang Me, Oh Hang Me 03:20
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Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone Wouldn't mind the hanging but the layin' in a grave so long, poor boy I’ve been all around this world I been all 'round cape Girardeau, parts of Arkansas All around cape Girardeau, parts of Arkansas Got so god damn hungry I could hide behind a straw, poor boy I’ve been all around this world Went up on a mountain, there I made my stand Went up on a mountain, there I made my stand Rifle on my shoulder and a dagger in my hand, poor boy I’ve been all around this world So hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone Hang me, oh hang me, and I'll be dead and gone I wouldn't mind the hanging but the layin' in a grave so long, poor boy I’ve been all around this world Put the rope around my neck and hung me up so high Put the rope around my neck, hung me up so high Last words I heard 'em say, won't be long before you die, poor boy I’ve been all around this world So hang me, oh hang men, I'll be dead and gone Hang me, oh hang me, I'll be dead and gone I wouldn't mind the hanging but the layin' in the grave, poor boy I’ve been all around this world
3.
Matthew 25:46 (Hell) 02:54
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Woke up to the sound of drums Couldn’t believe what I had done. Girl, I know that I am gone But I’ll be back, it won’t be long. Darling keep your blue dress on ‘Cause this ain’t my last song. Tell my girl she ain’t supposed to cry ‘Cause I’ll be back, dear, by her side. Devil eyes burning stone Faith is lost, hope is gone. And so this Earth will turn to dust But I’ll come back to watch it rust. Darling keep your red dress on ‘Cause this ain’t my last song. Tell my girl she ain’t supposed to cry ‘Cause I’ll be back dear by her side. Tell my girl she ain’t supposed to cry ‘Cause I’ll be back dear by her side.
4.
Ranch Hand 03:05
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I’ve been a ranch hand all my life Had three children and a beautiful wife Love was the gold on the vine In my eyes the sweet glow of wine I’ve been a ranch hand all my life Down in the prairies in the morn’ I see the sun rise in the East I see the sun set in the West And I put the cattle to rest I’ve been a ranch hand all my life I’ve been mistreated and treated like dirt They tossed me and pulled me and used me for good But I taught my kids what this life is worth I’ve been a man all my life Wake up and work very hard everyday Seeds to saw, gotta pile up the hay Taking my time to wait out the storm I’ve been a ranch hand for long I’ve been mistreated and treated like dirt They tossed me and pulled me and used me for good But I taught my kids what this life is worth I’ve been a ranch hand all my life
5.
The Cuckoo 02:11
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Oh the cuckoo, she’s a pretty bird And she warbles and she flies And she never hollers cuckoo Until the last days of July Jack o’Diamonds, Jack o’Diamonds, Well I’ve known you, I’ve know you of old You robbed my pockets, you robbed my pockets Of their silver and their gold. Well I gambled out on the railroad And I’ve put that man to die I’ve done my time, never moaned Time to rise above all the lies Oh the cuckoo, she’s a pretty bird And she warbles and she flies And she brings us bad tidings And she tells us no lies It’s bacon when I’m hungry, and it’s whiskey when I’m dry. It’s my woman for me lovin’, it’s religion when I die. Oh the cuckoo, she’s a pretty bird And she warbles and she flies And she never hollers cuckoo Until the last days of July
6.
Deep River 03:28
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When you go deep down in the river You’ll find a stream that flows Down to a lonesome ocean, behind that golden door The wear and tear of a lonesome life Brings sadness to your soul But clear water rests, my son, behind that golden door The sacred one is calling And so your hands must reach For the grace and the virtuous dying of those who come and preach So take your flowers with you And pray those Gods are fair And that rabbit’s foot is magic and know the when and where When you go deep down in the river You’ll find a stream that flows Down to a lonesome ocean, behind that golden door The vines are tall and song is gold The pines are falling fast The river now is running slow but go for it won’t last A red wing in the desert Horses in a storm Blue eyes keep on watching from dunes so long forlorn So take your flowers with you And pray those Gods are fair And that rabbit’s foot is magic and know the when and where
7.
A Daughter's Son 05:17
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Wake up to the sound Ain’t nobody coming ‘round The sun is high, the tide is low Girl you have so much to grow When the sky lights up your day Please don’t let them say That it doesn’t shine for you ‘Cause the sun shines for you Yeah, the sun shines for you My little dear come near I want to tell you of all the things that I’ve done When you grow up to be a mother girl You’ll know that in the end I’m just your son Talking from the past of your days And I’ll hold your hand And you’ll understand All that I have to say Everyone, everywhere, everyday Please say Everyone, everywhere, everyday The sun shines for you Yeah, the sun shines for you Yeah, the sun shines for you Yeah, it shines for you The sun shines for you Oh it shines The sun it shines It shines for you [Hare, Hare, Hare, Hare a OM] 8X

about

The year was 1894. But it might as well have been 1966, 2018 or 5000. It makes no difference anymore.
I was just a boy at Keystone the morning John Hardy killed this fellow, but I couldn't tell you the fellow's name now. They were shooting craps at a Shawnee camp.
Johnny tried to run but they caught him by the railroad and dragged him down to jail and, some time after that, they held up a trial and he was found guilty.

Hardy wanted to be baptized and so they took him to the river. They put him on a new suit of clothes, hat and all, but no shoes. He had on the best suit he ever had, but no shoes.
Guess he didn't like 'em.
He had a wife and two daughters and they came and said goodbye and cried. Then, up high on the scaffold, Johnny started singing. And he sang until he hanged.

Many years later, after I too had died, I went to visit my uncle Virgil on his heavenly porch. We talked about Hardy's story and I regretted the fact that he never got to the end of that song. Such a pretty song.
That's when my uncle cut me short: "He did. Just not at that time."

It turns out that after Hardy died he was put in hell. “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” just as Matthew, the apostle, had said. But he didn't want to stay there. He wanted to be back on Earth with his daughters. And you can't just do it. So he had to fight the Devil and get himself out.

He woke up again, this time in a ranch that had no end. With a family that wasn't his own and no memory of himself. Pastures of emptiness that stretched to the horizon. No enemies, no escape routes. Just the hay and the sun and the kids and the rain. He had ended up in some sort of purgatory, albeit his ignorance. And so he farmed. He took care of those people and he took care of the land.

One day, when old age had come a-knockin', a cuckoo appeared. The bird who makes its home in other's nests. And the cuckoo sang. And the cuckoo made him remember. His death. His real daughters. His name.

He was John Hardy. And he was about to die.

Dying, this time, was like a dream. Like swimming in the river of his baptism. Like praying for centuries. Like blue eyes watching a red wing fly away. Like horses in the rain.

And, at last, a third time he awoke. Not to the sound of drums, but to the sound of silence. In front of him, his wife, his daughters, sleeping. There, but not quite. Between them only the dew and the mist that separates the beings of Earth from the beings of the after-life. Of the world supreme. And so Johnny, from beyond, whispered to his eldest the final verses of his song: As her son he would come. Back to Earth. And fathers, mothers and daughters and sons would be one. And the righteous would be given life eternal.

credits

released February 22, 2018

Recorded at Estúdio Playground
Produced by Guilherme Boisson and Pedro Calloni
Mixed and Mastered by Pedro Calloni
All songs by Guilherme Boisson except when noted
Cover Art by Guilherme Boisson
Cover Photo by João Pedro Salles

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Guilherme Boisson Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

I learnt how to play the guitar twice. First from my grandpa, then from the records of Townes Van Zandt.
"Pick it!" That's what I always heard. And that is how I got the blues.

I guess one could call the music I make folk music. For me it's an attempt. I hope it gets to you. I hope you find something in it. And if you do, share it, pass it on.

Tnks, friend. And remember: "To live is to fly." ... more

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