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