Don't if feel like the wind is always howling?
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 putting up a fight.

It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life

We live in hard knocks, we don't take over we borrow blocks
I see you vision mama, I put my money on the longshots
Now Imma be on top whether I perform or not
I went from lukewarm to hot; sleepin on futons and cots
yeah

No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy
No one cares if you grow or if you shrink
No one dries when your eyes get wet and weepy
From all the crying you would think this place's a sink
yeah

It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It's the hard knock life
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us