[Verse 1]
Early to sleep and early to rise
Wiping the sleep from my little ones' eyes
Hit the long rows and cut 'em down to size
Take it to market and see what it buys
[Chorus]
In the hard country
Making a living by the sweat of my brow
Hard country
Looking at the world from the back of a plow
[Verse 2]
An honest day's work for an honest day's pay
Honestly you know it ain't a living wage
Sweating in the sun and praying for rain
Supper and sleep and do it all again
[Chorus]
In the hard country
Making a living by the sweat of my brow
Hard country
Looking at the world from the back of a plow
[Verse 3]
Brother took a job in the county seat
Thought he'd bought a ticket to easy street
Well he got laid off from the factory
Now he's back on the lower forty with me
[Chorus]
In the hard country
Making a living by the sweat of my brow
Hard country
Looking at the world from the back of a plow
[Verse 4]
So grab your partner and do-si-do
Louisiana hayrides on the radio
Finally the harvest moon's aglow
Wouldn't trade mine for any life I know
[Chorus]
In the hard country
Making a living by the sweat of my brow
Hard country
Looking at the world from the back of a plow