"Hard Knock Life" is the second song sung in the film, Annie. It's one of the most famous songs from the stage musical.
Plot[]
As punishment for trying to escape from the orphanage in the middle of the night, Miss Hannigan has Annie and the other orphans clean their room all night. While they do so, they sing of the injustices they suffered while living there. Such injustices include being "kicked" instead of being "kissed", and never celebrating holidays.
The scene includes a lot of choreography. During the song, Molly sticks a pillow up her shirt and pretends to be Miss Hannigan. The others throw her into a gigantic hamper filled with dirty sheets. It plays an important role in allowing Annie to successfully escape from the orphanage shortly after.
Lyrics[]
All:
It's the hard knock life for us!
It's the hard knock life for us!
Annie:
Stead of treated
The Orphans:
We get tricked!
Annie:
Stead of kisses
The 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
The Orphans:
'Stead of wool!
Annie:
Empty bellies
The Orphans:
'Stead of full!
All
It's the hard knock life!
Annie:
Don't it feel like the wind is always howlin'?
Kate And Tessie”
Don't it feel like there's never any light?
July and Duffy
Once a day, don't you wanna throw the towel in?
Molly and Pepper
It's easier than putting up a fight.
Annie:
No one's there when your dreams at night are creepy!
No one cares if you grow or if you shrink!
No one dries when your eyes get wet and weepy
The Orphans:
From the crying you would think this place would sink ohhhhhh!
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?
The Orphans:
No one cares for you a smidge,
When you're in an orphanage!
It's the hard knock life!
Molly (imitating Miss Hannigan):
You're gonna clean this dump,
'till it shines like the top of the Chrysler Building!
The Orphans (except Molly):
Yank the whiskers from her chin
Jab her with a safety pin
Make her drink a mickey finn!
I love you Miss Hannigan!
Molly (imitating Miss Hannigan):
Get to work!
Now!
Strip that bed!
I said get to work!
The Orphans (except Molly):
It's the hard knock life for us
It's the hard knock life for us
No one cares for you a smidge
When you're in an orphanage
It's the hard knock life!
It's the hard knock life!
It's the hard knock life!
Trivia[]
- Many of the lyrics sung by Annie were originally sung by the orphans in the stage musical.
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