John Wesley Hardin,
Shot many men, they gave him no pardon
He served a long sentence,
But, all his life he had no repentance
Age fifteen, he killed the first, and names on his list,
Longer will grow, oh, oh,
John Wesley Hardin,
Shot many men, they gave him no pardon

Out in Texas, he's born, on an early spring morn
Had a hatred 'bout the Civil war, as it's over
Killed a slave, becomes a rover
That this way, he'd turn out, seems so much in doubt
'Cause his father was good, and a fine Methodism preacher
Wes will be a teacher..
His life, like a knife, just cut the wrong way
And Texas Rangers trailed him a long way
Made Huntsville jail his home for twenty five

John Wesley Hardin
Shot many men, they gave him no pardon
He served a long sentence,
But all his life he showed no repentance
John Wesley Hardin,
Killed many men, they gave him no pardon

With his prison release, killings finally did cease,
And he drifted out to El Paso and became a lawyer, there
Began writing his story to share
But then, before it is all done, he'll die from a gun
Shot in back of the head at the Acme Saloon bar
Some small dispute just went too far
His life, like a knife, cut short the wrong way
Died, as he lived, the violent strong way
Children must complete autobiography

John Wesley Hardin,
Shot many men, they gave him no pardon
He served a long sentence,
But, all his life, he had no repentance

John Wesley Hardin,
Killed many men, they have him no pardon
He served his long sentence
But all his life, he had no repentance