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
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' 'about 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
Yeah,yeah, who knows better than I?

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