Words & Music:
Joy Byers
Some kids born with a silver spoon
I guess that I was born a little too soon
Hard knocks, all I ever knew was hard knocks
And I'm telling you, I said you'd better beware
'Cause I've had my share
Some kids born as rich as a king
But I was born without a doggone thing
Hard knocks, all I ever knew was hard knocks
And I'm telling you, I said you'd better beware
'Cause I've had my share
I walked a million miles I bet
Tired and hungry and cold and wet
I've heard that lonesome whistle blow
From New York City down to Mexico
Some kids born fancy free
Nobody never gave nothing to me but
Hard knocks, all I ever knew was hard knocks
And I'm telling you, I said you'd better beware
'Cause I've had my share
I walked a million miles I bet
Tired and hungry and cold and wet
I've heard that lonesome whistle blow
From New York City down to Mexico
Some kids born fancy free
Nobody never gave nothing to me but
Hard knocks, all I ever knew was hard knocks
And I'm telling you, I said you'd better beware
'Cause I've had my share
I said you'd better beware
'Cause I've had my share
I said you'd better beware
'Cause I've had my share of hard knocks
Recordingdate: 1964/03/02, first released on: Roustabout (album)
Musicians
Musicians who contributed to the first recording of Hard Knocks:
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(guitar)
(bass)
(drums)
(drums)
(drums)
(piano)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(vocals)
(sax)
Availability
Find available albums with Hard Knocks.
Just ok but a lot better than Baby If you Give Me All Your Love and other movie phony rockers.
Rubbish song,best left on the studio floor !
A sad caricature of the Elvis that produced That's alright, Don't be Cruel and Jailhouse Rock. I just don't believe that he had no say in the quality of material which eventually was brought to his attention. Pure undiluted crap.
Have to admit: I like it. Maybe because I like Roustabout. Not that bad and at least it has some rocking' beat.
it always reminded me of a stripped down re-edition of Hard Headed Woman...but it didn't have its substance musicwise. An ok movie song, far from his greatest material. Well, it must be difficult to find good material with three movies a year and maybe some elderly men as responsible song hunters. viva las vegas contains outstanding material instead.
Enjoyable movie rocker from an enjoyable soundtrack.
Poor material from a mostly weak soundtrack. Some good songs, some very bad ones.
A rocker from one of my very first Elvis movies I saw. I liked it very much back then. It was a fun movie. Okay, no heavy stuff, but I don't like that anyway. So in all I still enjoy listening to this record.
ROUSTABOUT is my all time favorite soundtrack. As a child i fell in love with the wonderful front cover. Beautiful! I also love the songs on the album. Its such fun and represents the happy early 60s. It went no. 1 on the charts, and it deserved it.
Hard to knock, excuse the punt, but 'Roustabout' did get to #1 in the Us charts. Song was Ok, just, but looking at the other tracks 'Little Egypt' was the hidden gem. There was no single released from the Lp, but LE would have been my choice. Elvis must have liked it too as he revived it for the '68 tv show.
If this is a rocker then Jim Reeves is actually James Hetfield from Metallica! He looked the part - leather jacket, motor cycle, karate and attitude but the songs by and large were weak. Not one to play often if at all. Not sure why this album or any album deserves to get to number one.
A parody of a real rock song. That's all it is.
Its a fun Movie song. I wish it had been Longer, in length, and rocked harder. But all in all, its a good song, and fun to watch him perform in the film.
I don't remember the last time I listened to it...
I think people tend to slander his soundtrack songs a bit too hard. The had to be short, fast and "hard" in order to surve a purpose for the movie. As most people can see and hear they were for the most part short and shortened even more in the movie itself. 30 minutes of soundtrack songs within a 90 minutes movie? What is left for the story? I used to like Hard Knock for what it was. I put on the Roustabout soundtrack now and then only to be reminded that I really loved it back then. That's what memories are for!
Lyrics are ok. The music just isn't it. Could have been a better song with better music.
Great song, beats the hell out of 'Hound Dog' ;-)
This is one of many, that could be remixed-Overdubbed-with amazing results.
a good song from a ok soundtrack.and a great song next to carny town
Not so bad. The Roustabout soundtrack, in my opinion, is a little better than most, as is the movie. The lyrics alone sound like it could be a much grittier blues song, almost along the lines of "Trouble", warning us to beware. But the music and tempo, and Elvis' lighthearted singing definitely mark it as mid-60s Elvis soundtrack filler. The comment about this being possible remix material, I'd love to hear tons of remixes, especially on this kind of material. What do we have to lose?
A solid movie rocker from the movie and soundtrack LP "Roustabout" that Elvis belts out very well. My only problem is the ending of the song where Elvis just kind of lets the song go. This is one of the times the geared down ending would have enhanced the song. Three stars, maybe three and 1/2.
No better no worse than the umpteen numbers that followed, this is not a complement. Elvis should have got to grips with his songwriters well before this lightweight film got off the ground.
I just listened to this song again today. Reading the comments, perhaps I missed something. I didn't. Its a watered down piece of crap rocker more suited for an Elvis imitator than the real thing.
For lovers of trivia, the husband of Joy Byers who is credited (if that can be the word) for writing this and the outstanding It Hurts Me, is non other than Bob Johnston one time Bob Dylan producer. Johnston states that that this song and many others attributed to his wife were actually penned by himself. Sorry Bob not one of your best efforts.
The Roustabout version of King Creole, I guess? Remix? Yep, bring it on!
I just listened to the Roustabout soundtrack several times in the past few days (the Vic Anesini remaster from 2010). great sound. I still enjoy this soundtrack as much today as I did as a kid of 14 back in '64. "Hard Knocks?' Yes, I've had a few. But that's another story.
This is easily one of my most favorite Elvis movie songs from the 1960's and it's such a fun song to dance along to. "Roustabout" is such a spectacular soundtrack album and such a magnificent movie too.
Joy Byers, not Bob Johnston, said that she often took a Public Domain song and altered it a bit, because so many songs were needed. She said also Hard knocks was a PD song, but did not say which one. Personally, I don't like the low background vocal. The song is ok.
The rot had set in the songs were getting worse and Parker was busy chuckling away behind his hand, he didn't care as long as he got his cut.
A reasonable film track which I do not seek out and do not skip when played. Not particularly memorable but it fits the film scene adequately but is lacking that extra zip or magic. Not in the same league as Little Egypt, Big Love Big Heartache, and one or 2 others from this movie.
Not one of his better efforts. Typical, slam, bam, thank ya mam crap. Boring.
Pleasant enough but like most of the post-GI Blues movie soundtracks lacking any real 'depth' or quality. But don't worry... 1968 was just 4 years away :)
Its a fun Movie song, with a great vocal performance by Elvis. I do wish it was longer, in length, and the music rocked a bit harder. But all in all, its a good song, and fun to watch Charlie Rodgers (Elvis) perform in the film. This is one of many Movie songs, that could be extended and remixed and overdubbed-with amazing results. Elvis is timeless.
I've always loved this uptempo and fun movie song immensely and Elvis' rendition of it was magnificent.
The other fifteen songs that Elvis recorded that were written or co-written by Joy Byers were "Baby, If You'll Give Me All Of Your Love", "C'mon Everybody", "Goin' Home", "Hey, Hey, Hey", "Hey Little Girl", "It Hurts Me", "I've Got To Find My Baby", "Let Yourself Go", "Please Don't Stop Loving Me", "She's A Machine", "So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise)", "Stop, Look And Listen", "The Meanest Girl In Town", "There Ain't Nothing Like A Song" and "There's A Brand New Day On The Horizon".
Liked it at the time of released, not so much after 1969.