Hard luck is the fortune of all womankind They're always controlled, they're always confined Controlled by their parents until they are wives Then slaves to their husbands the rest of their lives I knew one poor girl and her fortune 'twas sad She'd always been courted by the Wagoner Lad He courted her truly, by night and by day Now his wagons are loaded, he's pulling away "Your horses are hungry, come feed them some hay Come sit down beside me for as long as you may." "My horses ain't hungry and they won't eat your hay So fare you well, Darling, no longer to stay. "Your parents don't like me, they say I'm too poor They say I'm not worthy to enter your door Hard livin's my pleasure, my money's my own And if they don't like me they can leave me alone." "Your wagons need loadin', your whip needs to mend Come sit down beside me for as long as you can." "My wagons are loaded, my whips in my hand So fare you well, Darling, no longer to stand." Hard luck is the fortune of all womankind They're always controlled, they're always confined Controlled by their parents until they are wives Then slaves to their husbands the rest of their lives."