It's A Hard Knock Life
Aileen Quinn Toni Ann Gisondi And Chorus Lyrics
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It's a hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's a hard knock life
Got no folks to speak of, so
It's a hard knock row we how
Empty bellies, instead of full
It's a hard knock life
Don't it feel like the wind is always howlin'?
Don't it seem like there's never any light
One today, don't you wanna throw the towel in?
It's easier than puttin' up a fight
No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy
No one cares if you grow or if you shrink
No one dries when your eyes get wet an' weepy
From all the cryin' you would think this place's a sink, oh, oh
Empty belly life, rotten smelly life
Full of sorrow life, no tomorrow life
Santa Claus we never see
Santa Claus, what's that, who's he?
No one cares for you, a smidge
When you're in an orphanage
It's a hard knock life
It's a hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's a hard knock life
You'll stay up till this dump shines
Like the top of the Chrysler building, kill, kill
Yank the whiskers from her chin
Jab her with a safety pin
Make her drink a Mickey Finn
I love you, Miss Hannigan
Get to work, strip them beds
Scrub that floor
Polish my shoes
And I mean start now
It's a hard knock life for us
It's a hard knock life for us
No one cares for you, a smidge
When you're in an orphanage
It's a hard knock life
It's a hard knock life
It's a hard knock life
It's a hard knock life
The lyrics in Aileen Quinn Tori Ann Gisondi and Chorus's song "It's The Hard-Knock Life" paint a bleak picture of life in an orphanage. The repetition of "It's a hard knock life for us" underscores the difficulty and challenges faced by those who have no family members to support or care for them. Instead of being treated with love and kindness, the children in the orphanage are tricked and kicked.
The conditions in the orphanage are described as less than ideal, with cotton blankets instead of wool and empty bellies instead of full ones. The imagery of the wind always howling and the lack of light further emphasize the hardships these children face. The lyrics suggest that giving up might seem like an easier option than fighting to overcome these challenges.
The final verse, which includes commands to the orphans to work harder and complete tasks, is a stark contrast to the bleak picture painted in the rest of the song. It suggests that, in spite of their circumstances, these orphans are expected to work hard and contribute to the functioning of the orphanage.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a hard knock life for us
Our life is difficult and filled with hardships.
Instead of treated, we get tricked
We are not treated with kindness or care, but instead deceived and manipulated.
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
We do not receive affection or love, but instead experience harsh treatment and abuse.
Got no folks to speak of, so
We do not have any family to rely on or speak of.
It's a hard knock row we how
We have a difficult road to hoe in life.
Cotton blankets, instead of wool
We do not have comfortable or warm bedding, but instead must make due with cotton blankets.
Empty bellies, instead of full
We often go hungry and do not have enough to eat.
Don't it feel like the wind is always howlin'?
Life often feels bleak and harsh.
Don't it seem like there's never any light
We often experience hopelessness and despair.
One today, don't you wanna throw the towel in?
With each passing day, it is tempting to give up and stop trying.
It's easier than puttin' up a fight
It is easier to give up than to keep trying and struggling.
No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy
We do not have anyone to turn to when we feel scared or alone.
No one cares if you grow or if you shrink
No one pays attention to our growth or development as individuals.
No one dries when your eyes get wet an' weepy
No one comforts us when we are sad or upset.
From all the cryin' you would think this place's a sink, oh, oh
We cry so much that it feels like the place we live in is a sinking ship.
Empty belly life, rotten smelly life
Our lives are characterized by hunger and unpleasant conditions.
Full of sorrow life, no tomorrow life
We feel sad and hopeless, without any sense of a better future.
Santa Claus we never see
We do not experience joy or wonder during the holiday season.
Santa Claus, what's that, who's he?
We do not even know who Santa Claus is, let alone expect any gifts from him.
No one cares for you, a smidge
No one cares about us even a little bit.
When you're in an orphanage
Our lives are characterized by being in an orphanage, with all the associated difficulties and hardships.
You'll stay up till this dump shines
We must work long and hard to clean up our living conditions.
Like the top of the Chrysler building, kill, kill
We must work so hard that it feels like we are trying to reach the top of a skyscraper.
Yank the whiskers from her chin
We are subjected to harsh and unpleasant treatment by our caretakers.
Jab her with a safety pin
Our caretakers use physical violence and abuse as a form of discipline.
Make her drink a Mickey Finn
Our caretakers force us to drink something that will make us feel sick or dizzy.
I love you, Miss Hannigan
Our caretaker, Miss Hannigan, is both abusive and unloving.
Get to work, strip them beds
We are constantly told to work and complete chores, even when we are tired or sick.
Scrub that floor, polish my shoes
Our work often involves cleaning and polishing things for our caretakers.
And I mean start now
We are expected to start working immediately and without pause.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHARLES STROUSE, MARTIN CHARNIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind