To date, almost all of the band's shows have featured special guests such as Robert Randolph and Kreutzmann's former Grateful Dead bandmate Bob Weir. Sometimes these guests sit in for a song or two and other times they accompany the group for an entire set or show.
No Time to Cry
Billy and the Kids Lyrics
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Said son when I'm gone don't forget to pray
'Cause there'll be hard times, hard times, oh yeah
Who knows better than I?
Well, I soon found out, just what she meant
When I had to pawn my clothes, just to pay my rent
Talkin' 'bout hard times, hard times, oh yeah Who knows [Incomprehensible] better than I?
I had a woman, Lord, who was always around
But when I lost my money, then she put me down
Talkin' 'bout hard times, you know those hard
Yeah Lord, who knows better than I?
Yeah Lord, yeah, one of these days
There'll be no more sorrow, when I pass away
And no more hard times, I said no more hard
Yeah Lord, who knows, yeah Lord, better than I?
In Billy and the Kids's song "No Time to Cry," the lyrics depict a poignant tale of struggle, pain, and resilience. The song begins with a reminiscence of the singer's mother, who imparted some wisdom before passing away. She advised her son not to forget to pray, as there would be hard times ahead. The chorus repeatedly echoes the sentiment of hard times, asking who knows better than the singer. This resonates as a universal experience because everyone experiences hard times at some point in their lives.
The next verse, the singer describes what he learned from his mother's warning when he found himself having to pawn his clothes to make rent. The hard times he is experiencing make him understand how wise his mother's advice was. In the final verse, the singer shifts the focus from himself to a woman in his life, a companion who was always around until financial difficulties hit. The lyrics tell of her callousness and abandonment when he was at his lowest point. He concludes on a hopeful note, singing that someday, there will be no more sorrow or hard times, implying that he will not suffer forever.
Overall, the song captures the realities of life's setbacks, financial burdens, and heartbreaks. It acknowledges the hardships that people endure and how they persist through life's challenges. In essence, it is a song about the human spirit of resilience and perseverance.
Line by Line Meaning
My mother told me, before she passed away
My mother advised me before her death
Said son when I'm gone don't forget to pray
She suggested me to pray when she is no more
'Cause there'll be hard times, hard times, oh yeah
Because there will be tough times ahead of me
Who knows better than I?
My mother knows it from her experience
Well, I soon found out, just what she meant
I realized the advice's value very soon
When I had to pawn my clothes, just to pay my rent
I had to sell my clothes to afford accommodation
Talkin' 'bout hard times, hard times, oh yeah
Talking about tough times, really hard ones
Who knows [Incomprehensible] better than I?
No one can understand it better than me
I had a woman, Lord, who was always around
I was in a relationship with a girl who was always there for me
But when I lost my money, then she put me down
But when I became poor, she left me
Talkin' 'bout hard times, you know those hard
Talking about severe difficulties here
Yeah Lord, who knows better than I?
I have learned the hard way
Yeah Lord, yeah, one of these days
One day in the future
There'll be no more sorrow, when I pass away
There will be no sadness anymore when I die
And no more hard times, I said no more hard
No more hardships, I won't suffer anymore
Yeah Lord, who knows, yeah Lord, better than I?
I have learned the real struggles of life now after all these years
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RAY CHARLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind