It's A Hard Knock Life
Quvenzhané Wallis Zoe Margaret Colletti Nicolette Pierini Eden Duncan-Smith Amanda Troya Lyrics
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It's the hard-knock life for us
'Stead of treated
We get tricked
'Stead of kisses
We get kicked
It's the hard-knock life
Don't it seem like there's never any light?
Once a day, 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
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 bit
When you're a foster kid
It's the hard-knock life
Make my bathroom shine
But don't touch my medicine cabinet
It's the hard-knock life for us (yank the whiskers from her chin)
It's the hard-knock life for us (jab her with a safety pin)
'Stead of treated
We get tricked (send her to the looney bin)
'Stead of kisses
We get kicked
It's the hard-knock life for us (yank the whiskers from her chin)
It's the hard-knock life for us (jab her with a safety pin)
No one cares for you a bit (send her to the looney bin)
When you're a foster kid
It's the hard-knock life
It's the hard-knock life
The song "It's The Hard-Knock Life" is a musical piece that expresses the difficulty and despair of living a life where one is neglected, tricked, and treated harshly. The lyrics suggest that despite living in a seemingly bleak situation, there is always hope to push through the hardships. The first two lines repeat the phrase "It's the hard-knock life for us," emphasizing the harsh reality of their situation. The phrases "Instead of treated, we get tricked" and "Instead of kisses, we get kicked" represent how they are mistreated and denied basic affection.
The line "Don't it seem like there's never any light?" suggests that they live in a world constantly consumed by darkness and difficulty. Even when they are dreaming, they experience fear and despair with no one to turn to. The phrase "No one cares if you grow or if you shrink" further represents that they are neglected and unseen. The line "Full of sorrow life, no tomorrow life" suggests that there is no hope for the future, expressing the feeling of constant despair.
The repeated line "It's the hard-knock life" further emphasizes the severity of the situation. The mention of Santa Claus and how they never see him or know who he is, further represents how they feel disconnected from the societal holiday traditions that provide happiness for other children. The line "When you're a foster kid, it's the hard-knock life" resonates with those who have experienced troubled childhoods, where they are not able to experience the love and care that every child deserves.
Line by Line Meaning
It's the hard-knock life for us
Our life is full of difficulties and challenges.
'Stead of treated
Instead of being treated with love and kindness,
We get tricked
we are falsely promised things and end up being deceived.
'Stead of kisses
Instead of receiving affectionate gestures like hugs or kisses,
We get kicked
we face harsh treatment, like being physically or verbally abused.
Don't if feel like the wind is always howl'n?
Don't you feel like life is always rough and unpredictable?
Don't it seem like there's never any light?
Doesn't it feel like there's no hope or positive aspects in life?
Once a day, don't you wanna throw the towel in?
Don't you feel like giving up at least once a day?
It's easier than puttin' up a fight
Giving up seems easier than facing and overcoming challenges.
No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy
No one is there to comfort you when your nightmares or fears arise.
No one cares if you grow or if you shrink
No one is interested in your personal growth and development.
Empty belly life
Living a life with barely enough food to survive.
Rotten smelly life
Living in poor living conditions with unpleasant smells and sights.
Full of sorrow life
Living a life with a heavy heart and pain.
No tomorrow life
Living a life with no hope or prospects for the future.
Santa Claus we never see
We never get to experience the joy of receiving gifts from Santa Claus.
Santa Claus, what's that?
We don't even know who or what Santa Claus is.
Who's he?
We have no idea who Santa Claus is supposed to be.
No one cares for you a bit
No one shows any care or concern for your well-being.
When you're a foster kid
When you are a child without a permanent family and home,
It's the hard-knock life
Life is full of challenges and difficulties.
Make my bathroom shine
Clean the bathroom well.
But don't touch my medicine cabinet
But make sure not to touch or disturb my medicine cabinet.
It's the hard-knock life for us (yank the whiskers from her chin)
Our life is full of hardships and mistreatment, like having someone pull out hair from our chin.
It's the hard-knock life for us (jab her with a safety pin)
Our life is full of difficulties and even physical pain, like being poked with a safety pin.
When you're a foster kid
When you are a child without a permanent family and home,
It's the hard-knock life
Life is full of challenges and difficulties.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind