E                    A
There's an old man sittin' in a rented room
E           B7           E
Sittin' and watchin' the wall
E                      A
Tryin' to remember the good ole days
    E                 B7         E
And wonderin' why the kids don't call
     E                         A
They used to go drivin' in the summer sun
E        B7         E
When his woman was alive
       E                A
Now he reads his Gideon Bible and waits
        E       B7       E
For his welfare check to arrive

[Chorus]
          A          E                  B7           E
He got the hard time hungrys doin' the best that he can
        A          E  C#m      E             B7       E
Lord the hard time hungrys are spreadin' all over the land

[Verse]
          E                   A
There's a Tennessee housewife shoppin' in the market
E       B7          E
Wearin' last year's jeans
    E                     A
She picks up a roast then changes her mind
        E             B7             E
Puts it back down and buys some more beans
    E                        A
Her old man's workin' in the filling station
E          B7           E
And what's he gonna say
     E                 A
When he sits down to a table full of nothin'
      E              B7      E
After workin' like a dog all day

[Chorus]
            A          E                  B7             E
They got the hard time hungrys doin' the best that they can
         A          E  C#m  E             B7        E
I see the hard time hungrys spreadin' all over the land

[Verse]
  E                     A
A Mississippi farmer he watchin' the sky
E            B7         E
Wonderin' if it's gonna rain
    E                    A
The payment's due on the tractor Lord
        E              B7     E
And the subsidy's been taken away
       E               A
And in New York City a taxicab driver
E              B7       E
Screams at the world outside
         E               A
Cause it sure is hot and nobody's got
    E           B7         E
The money for a cross town ride

[Chorus]
                 A          E                  B7             E
Lord they got the hard time hungrys doin' the best that they can
         A          E  C#m  E             B7       E
I see the hard time hungrys spreadin' all over the land

[Verse]
      E                       A
Now I ain't no preacher and I ain't no teacher
    E           B7          E
But one thing's sure as the sun
       E                           A
If the dollar keeps a droppin' and prices keep a risin'
    E        B7      E
The worst is yet to come

[Chorus]
          A          E                 B7           E
We got the hard time hungrys I feel it touchin' my hand
              A          E  C#m  E             B7       E
Lord I see the hard time hungrys spreadin' all over the land
             A          E  C#m  E             B7       E
Yes I see the hard time hungrys spreadin' all over the land