One man, does his work   He's not satisfied not at all   Feels like that he is bein' used   His self respect starts to fall   His frustration runnin' very very high   He takes it out on the one he loves   Because it's safe and who they gonna tell   And he hates the cold-bloodedness that runs inside      Oh yes, it's hard times   For an honest man   Very very very hard times   Hard times for an honest man   Very very very hard times      Sister, she's got a lot of pride   You can see it when she walks into the room   But she's young and she's unaware   What a brutal world can do to you   So she loves a man, he lies like a dog   Tears her little world all apart   So the walls go up for the rest of her days   And there ain't no man can touch this girl's heart      Oh yes, it's hard times   For an honest man   Very very very hard times   Hard times for an honest man   Very very very hard times      So we walk, from the front porch to the back yard   Just to laugh and say hello and say good-bye   But some days are hard, like a soldier's steel-toed boots   And the rent we pay to stay here gets high      Oh yes, it's hard times   For an honest man   Very very very hard times   Hard times for an honest man   Very very very hard times      Hard times   For an honest man   Very very very hard times   Hard times for an honest man   Very very very hard times