Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Listen to the full album: antircrds.io/3X9ifpF
"Hard Times" by @mavisstaples from the album 'Sad And Beautiful World', out now
Order, stream & download at mavisstaples.ffm.to/sadandbeautifulworld
Written by David Todd Rawlings & Gillian Howard Welch
Produced by Brad Cook
Engineered & mixed by Brad Cook and Paul Voran
Mastering by Tim Smiley
Lead Vocals - Mavis Staples
Background Vocals - Kara Jackson, Katie Crutchfield
Slide Guitar - Derek Trucks
Bass - Jeff Tweedy
Drums - Spencer Tweedy
Piano - Phil Cook
Organ - Phil Cook
Tambourine - Brad Cook
Lyrics
There was a camp town man, used to plow and sing
And he loved that mule and the mule loved him
When the day got long as it does about now
I'd hear him singing to his mule cow
Calling, "Come on my sweet old girl, and I'll bet the whole damn world
That we're gonna make it yet to the end of the row"
Singing "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, Bessie
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more"
Said it's a mean old world, heavy in need
And that big machine is just picking up speed
And we're supping on tears, and we're supping on wine
We all get to heaven in our own sweet time
So come all you Asheville boys and turn up your old-time noise
And kick 'til the dust comes up from the cracks in the floor
Singing, "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, brother
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more"
But the camp town man, he doesn't plow no more
I seen him walking down to the cigarette store
Guess he lost that knack and he forgot that song
Woke up one morning and the mule was gone
So come on, you ragtime kings, and come on, you dogs, and sing
And pick up a dusty old horn and give it a blow
Playing, "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, honey
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, sugar
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more"
Learn more about ‘Mavis!,’ the first feature documentary on Mavis Staples and her family group, The Staple Singers, here: mavisfilm.com
Mavis Staples
➤ Store: mavisandlevon.ffm.to/store
➤ Website: mavisstaples.com
➤ Facebook: facebook.com/mavisstaples
➤ Instagram: instagram.com/mavisstaples
➤ Twitter: twitter.com/mavisstaples
➤ Spotify: spoti.fi/3gRcoAj
➤ Apple: apple.co/3rZbyrK
➤ Amazon: amzn.to/3tcgdGa
________________________
FOLLOW ANTI RECORDS
▶ Website: anti.com
▶ Instagram: instagram.com/antirecords
▶ Facebook: facebook.com/antirecords
▶ Twitter: twitter.com/antirecords
▶ TikTok: tiktok.com/@antirecords
▶ Spotify: spoti.fi/3F8wIHU
▶ Apple: apple.co/3mh6Wdc
▶ Store: anti.ffm.to/store
#mavisstaples #hardtimes #sadandbeautifulworld #antirecords
Listen to the full album: antircrds.io/3X9ifpF
"Hard Times" by @mavisstaples from the album 'Sad And Beautiful World', out now
Order, stream & download at mavisstaples.ffm.to/sadandbeautifulworld
Written by David Todd Rawlings & Gillian Howard Welch
Produced by Brad Cook
Engineered & mixed by Brad Cook and Paul Voran
Mastering by Tim Smiley
Lead Vocals - Mavis Staples
Background Vocals - Kara Jackson, Katie Crutchfield
Slide Guitar - Derek Trucks
Bass - Jeff Tweedy
Drums - Spencer Tweedy
Piano - Phil Cook
Organ - Phil Cook
Tambourine - Brad Cook
Lyrics
There was a camp town man, used to plow and sing
And he loved that mule and the mule loved him
When the day got long as it does about now
I'd hear him singing to his mule cow
Calling, "Come on my sweet old girl, and I'll bet the whole damn world
That we're gonna make it yet to the end of the row"
Singing "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, Bessie
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more"
Said it's a mean old world, heavy in need
And that big machine is just picking up speed
And we're supping on tears, and we're supping on wine
We all get to heaven in our own sweet time
So come all you Asheville boys and turn up your old-time noise
And kick 'til the dust comes up from the cracks in the floor
Singing, "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, brother
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more"
But the camp town man, he doesn't plow no more
I seen him walking down to the cigarette store
Guess he lost that knack and he forgot that song
Woke up one morning and the mule was gone
So come on, you ragtime kings, and come on, you dogs, and sing
And pick up a dusty old horn and give it a blow
Playing, "Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, honey
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind, sugar
Hard times ain't gonna rule my mind no more"
Learn more about ‘Mavis!,’ the first feature documentary on Mavis Staples and her family group, The Staple Singers, here: mavisfilm.com
Mavis Staples
➤ Store: mavisandlevon.ffm.to/store
➤ Website: mavisstaples.com
➤ Facebook: facebook.com/mavisstaples
➤ Instagram: instagram.com/mavisstaples
➤ Twitter: twitter.com/mavisstaples
➤ Spotify: spoti.fi/3gRcoAj
➤ Apple: apple.co/3rZbyrK
➤ Amazon: amzn.to/3tcgdGa
________________________
FOLLOW ANTI RECORDS
▶ Website: anti.com
▶ Instagram: instagram.com/antirecords
▶ Facebook: facebook.com/antirecords
▶ Twitter: twitter.com/antirecords
▶ TikTok: tiktok.com/@antirecords
▶ Spotify: spoti.fi/3F8wIHU
▶ Apple: apple.co/3mh6Wdc
▶ Store: anti.ffm.to/store
#mavisstaples #hardtimes #sadandbeautifulworld #antirecords
