Lyrics:

Every mornin' at half-past four
You hear the cooks hop on the floor
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
Every morning just at five
Gotta get up, dead or alive
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
Every mornin' right at six
Don't that ol' bell make you sick
Hard times in the mill my love
Hard times in the mill
The pulley got hot, the belt jumped off

Knocked Mr. Guyan's derby off
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
And ol' Pat Goble thinks he's a hun
He puts me in mind of a doodle in the sun
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
Section hand, he thinks he's a man
He ain't got sense to pay off his hands
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
They steal his ring, they steal his knife
Steal everything but his big fat wife
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
My bobbin's all out, my end's all down
The doffer's in my alley and I can't get around
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
The section hand, standin' at the door

Ordering the sweepers to sweep up the floor
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
An' every night when I go home
A piece o' cornbread an' an ol' jawbone
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill
Ain't it enough to break your heart
Have to work all day, an' at night it's dark
It's hard times in the mill, my love
Hard times in the mill