My grandma's grandpa came over across the sea
In the boiler room of a steam ship on his way from Germany
He was runnin' from the Kaiser who was puttin' the hammer down
And the cries of the dyin' men were such an awful sound
Oh they were such an awful sound

Oh hard times, hard times
Hard times made us

My father was a railroad man, a mechanic and a son of the soil
His back was busted and his hands were cut and sore
Oh his hands were cut and sore
But he swore that

Hard times, hard times
Hard times made us
You know that
Hard times hard times
Hard times made us
Oh and I would not trade them all for anything

Uncle Sam well he ain't no kin to me
And what we have is a crisis of authority
Oh it's a crisis of authority

Oh hard times hard times
Hard times made us
You know that
Hard times hard times
Hard times made us
Oh and I would not trade them all for anything