Poor Jacky's on the street with his bottle of grog
Hard, hard times
He'll try and bite you for a couple of bob
Hard, hard times
Wrecked and drowning in a sea of grog
His pride and self-respect's been robbed
Worse off than a white man's dog
Hard, hard times

CHORUS: And it's hard times livin' in the lucky country
Hard, hard times
Black man say, "Poor fella, my country"
Hard, hard times

The spirits have fled from the rocks and trees
Hard, hard times
The land is sick from white man's disease
Hard, hard times
Their lust and greed does them betray
They rape the land to make it pay
The black man just got in their way
Hard, hard times

The black man's dreamtime's dead and gone
Hard, hard times
The white man's dreamtime marches on
Hard, hard times
They tried to make you civilized
They just don't seem to realise
What they touch they bastardise
Hard, hard times