It weren't all grits and gravy
Times was hard in the old days
And some uppity people
Had to learn to change their ways

The depression hurt them all
Whether they was poor or rich
They rubbed elbows with tycoons
Out there sleepin' in the ditch

All on their way to somewhere
Hopin' they could get it back
In the meantime scroungin' food
In the jungles by the track

Folks was hard back in them days
But kinder than they are now
They would share with each other
Now I doubt that some know how

If those times come back again
Boys that might be all she wrote
They might take instead of share
They might take and cut our throat

It was rough in tenty-nine
But they come of tougher stock
They had been hungry before
So it wasn't quite the shock

It would be to us today
If we had to go without
Goin' hungry is somethin'
We don't know too much about