My mother told me
'fore she passed away
said son when i'm gone
don't forget to pray

'cause there'll be hard times
lord those hard times
who knows better than i?

well i soon found out
just what she meant
when i had to pawn my clothes
just to pay the rent

talkin' 'bout hard times
lord those hard times
who knows better than i?

i had a woman
who was always around
but when i lost my money
she put me down

talkin' 'bout hard times
hard times
yeah, yeah, who knows better than i?

lord,
one of these days
there'll be no more sorrow
when i pass away

and no more hard times
no more hard times
yeah, yeah, who knows better than i?