Hard Times

Alternate Title:

There's a Hard Time Coming, The Song of Hard Times

First Line:

Come all you good people I’ll sing you a song

Artist & Tune

Version by Fiddlin' John Carson

About the Song

Print source:

Lomax, John A. & Alan Lomax / American Ballads and Folk Songs, (1934), p.332. Bell, Farwell A.. Cox, John Harrington / Folk-Songs of the South, Dover (1967/1925), p512

Written by C.F. Sussdorff in 1843. The song has evolved significantly over the years by different artists. The lyrics below have been adapted further by Windborne.

The song has a lot of similarity to the 19th century English broadside "Rigs of the Time" (found on p185 in the Rich & Poor section of Rise Up Singing).

Covers:

Fiddlin' John Carson (1925) as There's Hard Times Coming
Riley Puckett (1931)
Oscar Brand (1957)
Lillie Steele (1958)
Joe Hickerson (1970) on self-titled.
Dan Gellert & Shoofly (1986)
On Windborne's Of Hard Times & Harmony (book & CD) as The Song of Hard Times

Secondhandsongs discography: https://secondhandsongs.com/work/235469/versions#nav-entity

Come all you good people I’ll sing you a song
I’ll tell you the truth, I know I ain’t wrong
It’s from father to mother, from sister to brother
They’ve got in the fashion of cheating each other
And it’s hard times

Since cheating is got so much into fashion
I’m ‘fraid it will spread all over the nation
And it’s hard times

Here’s the old baker bakes all the bread we eat,
Likewise the old butcher by selling his meat
They’ll tip up the stillyards & make 'em weigh down
And swear it’s good weight if it lacks 10 pound
And it’s hard times

Here’s the proud banker with keys to his vault
I swear to you all, he’s worse by tenfold
He’ll hand you a thousand & call it a loan
But then soon enough he’ll take all that you own
And it’s hard times

Here comes the senator with a tie & a smile
He’ll pledge & he’ll promise & swear it’s no guile
He’ll go to the capitol & say he’s your friend
Then he’ll line his silk pockets & leave you again
And it’s hard times

But the lord of industry owns the whole lot
He’s got nothing to fear ‘cause the Senator he’s bought
He’s fixing the vote and he’s rigging the game
But he points to your neighbor when you ask who’s to blame
And it’s hard times

Now I’ve concluded I’ve finished my song
I’ve told you the truth & I know I ain’t wrong
The butcher may cheat you, the banker ain’t fair
But the problem is really the billionaire
And it’s hard times

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