John Mellencamp Follow

One man, does his work
He's not satisfied not at all
Feels like that he is bein' used
His self respect starts to fall
His frustration runnin' very very high
He takes it out on the one he loves
Because it's safe and who they gonna tell
And he hates the cold-bloodedness that runs inside

Oh yes, it's hard times
For an honest man
Very very very hard times
Hard times for an honest man
Very very very hard times

Sister, she's got a lot of pride
You can see it when she walks into the room
But she's young and she's unaware
What a brutal world can do to you
So she loves a man, he lies like a dog
Tears her little world all apart
So the walls go up for the rest of her days
And there ain't no man can touch this girl's heart

Oh yes, it's hard times
For an honest man
Very very very hard times
Hard times for an honest man
Very very very hard times

So we walk, from the front porch to the back yard
Just to laugh and say hello and say good-bye
But some days are hard, like a soldier's steel-toed boots
And the rent we pay to stay here gets high

Oh yes, it's hard times
For an honest man
Very very very hard times
Hard times for an honest man
Very very very hard times

Hard times
For an honest man
Very very very hard times
Hard times for an honest man
Very very very hard times