TIMES ARE GETTING HARD, BOYS
(Traditional - Lee Hays)

Pete Seeger - 1955
Lonnie Donegan - 1958
The Limeliters - 1960
Robert De Cormier Folk Singers - 1964
Peter Yarrow - 1975
Peter Stanley - 1999

Also recorded by:
Eddy Arnold; Jim "Hos" Hoswell; Tom Paxton


Times are getting hard, boys
Money's getting scarce
If things don't get no better, boys
Gonna leave this place

Take my true love by the hand
Lead her thru the town
Saying good-bye to everyone
Good-bye to everyone

Take my bible from the bed
Shotgun from the wall
Take old Sal and hitch her up
The wagon for to haul

Pile the chairs and beds up high
Let nothing drag the ground
Sal can pull and we can push
We're bound to leave this town

Made a crop a year ago
It withered to the ground
Tried to get some credit
But the banker turned me down

But I'm goin' to Californ-i-ay
Where everything is green
Goin' to have the best ole farm
That you have ever seen


**************************


ALTERNATE VERSION:


Times are getting hard, boys
Money's getting scarce
If times don't get much better, boy's
Going to leave this earth

Take my true love by the hand
Lead her through the town
Say goodbye to everyone
Goodbye Sally Brown

Had a crop about a year ago
It withered to the ground
I tried to get some money
But the banker turned me down

Take my Bible from the shelf
My shotgun from the wall
Take old Sal and hitch her up
The wagon for to haul

Put everything on the wagon, boys
So nothing can tumble down
Sal can pull and we can push
We're bound to leave this town

I'm going to California
Where everything is green
I'm going to have the nicest farm
That you have ever seen


**************************


As recorded by LONNIE DONEGAN:


(Whistling)

Times are getting hard, boys
Money's getting scarce
If things don't get much better boys
Gonna leave this place

Took my baby by the hand
Wandered through the town
The way she looked in jewellery stores
Well, it made me feel low down

Times are getting hard, boys
Money's getting scarce
If times don't get much better boys
Well, I'm gonna leave this place

I promised I would buy you
Well, a big lovely old diamond ring
But the way things is turnin' out right now
Well, I, I can't afford a thing

'Cause times is getting hard, boys
Money's getting scarce
If times don't get much better boys
Gonna leave this place

(Whistling)

I'd give you the Moon, Dear
And the twinkling stars above
But all that I can offer you
Is my undying love

Times are getting hard, boys
Money's getting scarce
If things don't get much better boys
Gonna leave this place

(Whistling)


(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - January 2006)


***************************