The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
John Wesley Harding
Was a friend to the poor
He traveled with a gun in every hand
All along this countryside
He opened a many a door
But he was never known
To hurt an honest man
It was down in Chaynee County
A time they talk about
With his lady by his side
He took a stand
And soon the situation there
Was all but straightened out
For he was always known
To lend a helping hand
All across the telegraph
His name it did resound
But no charge held against him
Could they prove
And there was no man around
Who could track or chain him down
He was never known
To make a foolish move
Was a friend to the poor
He traveled with a gun in every hand
All along this countryside
He opened a many a door
But he was never known
To hurt an honest man
It was down in Chaynee County
A time they talk about
With his lady by his side
He took a stand
And soon the situation there
Was all but straightened out
For he was always known
To lend a helping hand
All across the telegraph
His name it did resound
But no charge held against him
Could they prove
And there was no man around
Who could track or chain him down
He was never known
To make a foolish move
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well it is about John Wesley Hardin and is admittedly one of Dylan's most lackluster lyrical efforts personally i enjoy the song a great deal and think the lyrics are interesting, but they lack the true social commentary of Dylan's better folk works, John Wesley Hardin wasn't born in Cheney county and he would probably hurt an honest man, he was renowned in history as 'the meanest man alive' and the song is about that outlaw and the outlaw life Dylan said in an interview that Hardin as a figure interested him and he had a tune that he really liked, when he sat down to write it he just kind of fumbled a bit, but then he said, in an attempt not to make the song seem like just a filler he made it the album title and lead off song that's bobby
You know... screw all that "true social commentary" junk about Dylan's bettr "folk works". Didn't Dylan himself always say that he didn't intend to be made into some kind of prophet for the 60s? Of course, Dylan loved to say crazy things. Like the story about the song being a missive that he turned into something better by titling the album after it. A song doesn't have to be packed with hundreds of references to be good. John Wesley Harding is a simple song, and that makes it better than a lot of the "social commentary" stuff.