My mother told me
Before she passed away
Said: Son when I'm gone
Don't forget to pray
'Cause there'll be hard times
Hard times, oh, yeah
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
Hard times, oh, yeah
Who knows a woman better than I?

I had a woman
Who was always around
But when I lost my money
And she put me down
Talkin' 'bout hard times
You know those
Yeah, yeah, who knows better than I?

Yeah, Lord, one of these days
There'll be no sorrow
When I pass away
And no more hard times
I say: No more hard
Yeah, Lord, who knows
Yeah, Lord, better than I?