Lyrics:

I came up the hard way, I had to work both night and day

I came up the hard way, I had to work both night and day

It's a shame, shame, shame, that a poor man have to live this way



I came up the hard way, they kept me workin' from sun to sun

I came up the hard way, they kept me workin' from sun to sun

Well it seems somehow or another, that a poor man's work ain't never done



Well my mother sat down and told me, she said Son, don't forget the golden rule

My mother sat down and told me, she said Son, don't forget the golden rule

I had to go head-on and deal with it yes I did, cause I didn't get, I didn't get too far in school



I came up the hard way, I had to work both night and day

I came up the hard way, I had to work both night and day

Ain't it a shame, ain't it a shame, that a poor man gotta live this way



(guitar solo)



My mother sat down and told me, she said Son, don't forget the golden rule

My mother sat down and told me, she said Son, don't forget the golden rule

That's all I had to deal with, because I didn't get too, too far in school



(harmonica solo by Mack Simmons)