Hard Times
RAY CHARLES Lyrics
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'Fore 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' 'bout hard times
Lord those 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
Hard times
Yeah, yeah, who knows better than I?
Lord, one of these days
There'll be no more sorrow
When I pass away
And no more hard times
No more hard times
Yeah, yeah, who knows better than I?
In Ray Charles's song "Hard Times," he sings about his experiences with tough times, inspired by the advice his mother gave him before she passed away. His mother urged him not to forget to pray and seek strength during hard times. Charles describes in the song how he had to pawn his clothes just to pay rent and how his woman deserted him when he lost his money. However, despite these hard times, Charles feels that he knows better than anyone else what it means to struggle and to rely on faith during those trying times. The song's poignant lyrics convey the message that everyone goes through hard times, but it's crucial to hold onto faith and hope that someday the sorrow will end.
Line by Line Meaning
My mother told me
This song is a story about a lesson the singer's mother taught him before she passed away.
Fore she passed away
The singer's mother shared her wisdom with him before she died.
Said son when I'm gone
The singer's mother warned him about the challenges he will face after she's gone.
Don't forget to pray
The singer's mother advised him to pray to cope with the struggles he will face in life.
Cause there'll be hard times
The singer acknowledges that life is not always easy, and hard times can come.
Lord those hard times
The singer emphasizes the severity of the hard times he may experience.
Who knows better than I?
The singer affirms his understanding of the struggle he may encounter in life.
Well I soon found out
The singer shares a personal experience of a hard time he faced.
Just what she meant
The singer realizes the significance of the advice his mother gave him before she died.
When I had to pawn my clothes
The singer's financial situation was so dire that he had to sell his clothes to make ends meet.
Just to pay the rent
The singer needed the money to pay his rent despite having to sell his clothing.
Talkin' 'bout hard times
The singer addresses the topic of hard times again, reflecting on his personal struggle.
I had a woman
The singer had someone in his life who he thought would be there for him no matter what.
Who was always around
The woman was always present in the singer's life.
But when I lost my money
The singer's financial troubles caused his partner to leave him.
She put me down
His partner rejected him when he was experiencing hardship, leaving him alone.
Yeah, yeah
The singer repeats this phrase to express his pain and anguish.
Lord, one of these days
The singer expresses his hope for something better in the future.
There'll be no more sorrow
The singer yearns for a life without pain or struggle.
When I pass away
The singer imagines a time when his suffering will come to an end, perhaps with his own death.
And no more hard times
The singer longs for a life where he will not have to face difficulty or struggle.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ray Charles
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind