Lyrics

HARD TIME BLUES

Strange weather – everywhere
Some folks don’t notice
some just don’t care –
Mother Earth’s tryin’ to warn us
Believe it if you choose –
She’s moanin’ the hard time blues
.
River’s overflowin’ – all the power’s out
Katrina comes to mind
No escape route –
In the Game of Life
We’re breakin’ all the rules –
Wailin’ the hard time blues
…
See that homeless sister
With nothin’ left to lose
She’s not a member of any union
But she’s paid plenty dues –
See that broke-down brother
See that homeless brother
Lost both his shoes –
Pushin’ a shoppin’ cart full o’ hard time blues
.
Gangstas in the gov’ment
I know there’s Gangstas in the streets
Reckon it’s all connected – wrapped up all nice an’ neat
Juke joint at the crossroads
Pumpin’ out the news
Can’t you hear the wolf howlin’
Cant you hear the wolf howlin, the hard time blues

…

Schools look like prisons
Poverty keeps risin’
Lockin’ up brothers is a business
You know it’s not surprisin’ –
Here come that homeless man
Lookin’ for his shoes –
Pushin’ a shoppin’ cart
Full o’ hard time blues
Cryin hard time blues.

Blues everywhere,
Blues down in Chicago.
Alabama, Hard time Blues.
In Memphis too,
Rise up my brother,
Let love rule,
Each one , teach one,
Hard Time Blues.
Blues everywhere, everywhere.

Written by Eric Bibb & Glen Scott