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
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
An honest days work for an honest days pay
Honestly you know it aint a living wage
Sweating in the sun and praying for rain
Supper and sleep and do it all again
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
Brother took a job in the county seat
Thought hed bought a ticket to easy street
Well he got laid off from the factory
Now hes back on the lower forty with me
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
So grab your partner and do-se-do
Louisiana hayrides on the radio
Finally the harvest moons aglow
Wouldnt trade mine for any life I know
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