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?