downtown people live in a harsh reality
walk among the homeless,
no so hard to see
searching for hand-outs on these
heartless city streets
nobody seems to notice faces
filled with grief
hard time blues
just can't win
ev'ry way you lose
hard time blues
around the corner
hard times on the loose
crack dealers profit from
their daily sells
gang wars racing, it's a living hell
cold blood running,
can't you feel the chill
don't leave your house tonight
just might get you killed
hard time blues
just can't win
ev'ry way you loose
hard time blues
around the corner
hard times on the loose
can't you see that i'm running
running just like a fool
nowhere to run to baby
from these hard time
hard time blues
these hard time blues
yeah, hard time blues
the hard time
hard time blues

don't watch your tv,
or read the daily press
the world's light is dimming,
the economy's depressed
preacher's on probation,
and the president is stressed
worrying 'bout elections,
votes he needs to get
hard time blues
just can't win
ev'ry way you lose
hard time blues
around the corner
hard times on the loose.