It's a cold hard world it's a cold hard world it's a cold hard world oh no I heard Red Donley say it was on the news today it's a cold hard world it's a cold hard world it's hiking across the country looking for a bite to eat you'd be surprised at the animals and the people you'd meet rolling down that highway with eyes fixed straight ahead they have a caravan of cars to bury the dead and coke cans and pop bottles lined the streets like flowers instead and this guy gave me a ride I said this industrial waste sure stinks he said he likes that smell 'cause that's the smell of money i said "well, mister money stinks, too." [ref.] I met a fireman he said you never forget burning flesh and the librarian said do you have a card here? I said I been coming here for weeks don't you recognize me by now I checked out a million books just to get you to notice me [ref.] Somebody's house burned down somebody's hubcap fell off somebody's soul got lost somebody's heart got broke I heard Red Donley say it was on the news today it's a cold hard world it's a cold hard world