It's The Hard-Knock Life
Composer(s): Martin Charnin - Charles Strouse
Performer(s): Andrea McArdle - 1977
and multiple other artists



[Orphans]
It's the hard-knock life for us!
It's the hard-knock life for us!

[Annie]
'Steada treated

[Orphans]
We get tricked!

[Annie]
'Steada kisses

[Orphans]
We get kicked!

[All]
It's the hard-knock life!
Got no folks to speak of, so
It's the hard-knock row we hoe!

[Annie]
Cotton blankets

[Orphans]
'Steada of wool!

[Annie]
Empty Bellies

[Orphans]
'Steada of full!

[All]
It's the hard-knock life!

[Annie]
Don't it feel like the wind is always howl'n?

[Kate And Tessie]
Don't it seem like there's never any light!

[Duffy And July]
Once a day, don't you wanna throw the towel in?

[Molly And Pepper]
It's easier than puttin' up a fight

[Annie]
No one's there when your dreams at night get creepy!
No one cares if you grow...of if you shrink!
No one dries when your eyes get wet an' weepy!

[All]
From all the cryin' you would think this place's a sink!
Ohhhh!!!!!!!
Empty belly life!
Rotten smelly life!
Full of sorrow life!
No tomorrow life!

[Molly]
Santa Claus we never see

[Annie]
Santa Claus, what's that?
Who's he?

[All]
No one cares for you a smidge
When you're in an orphanage!

[Molly]
(Making a whistling sound and imitating Miss Hannigan)
You'll stay up till this dump shines
like the top of the Chrysler Building

[Orphans]
Yank the whiskers from her chin
Jab her with a safety Pin
Make her drink a mickey finn
I love you, Miss Hannigan

[Molly]
(whistle) Get to work!
(whistle) Strip them beds!
(whistle) I said get to work!

[All]
It's the hard-knock life for us
It's the hard-knock life for us
No one cares for you a smidge
When your in an orphanage
It's the hard-knock life
It's the hard-knock life
It's the hard-knock life!

----------

It's The Hard-Knock Life (Reprise)

[All]
Lucky kid, she's out there free 

[Molly]
Runnin' free in N.Y.C.

[Pepper]
Bet she finds her folks 

[All]
Like that

[Kate]
Mom and Dad

[All]
Right off the bat

[July]
Lucky duck, she got away

[Molly]
But we're gonna have to pay 

[Kate And Tessie]
Gonna get our faces slapped

[Duffy And Pepper]
Gonna get our knuckles rapped 

[All - Except Molly]
It's the hard-knock life 

[Molly]
Yes, it is

[All - Except Molly]
It's the hard-knock life

[Molly]
Yes, it is

[All - Except Molly]
It's the hard-knock life

[Molly]
Yes, it is

[All - Except Molly]
It's the hard-knock life

[Molly]
Yes, it is

[All - Except Molly]
It's the hard-knock life