From the 2014 film version of Annie, it shares the same overall melody and chorus with the original 1982 version, however the verses are slightly different.
I hope this is similar enough for you to enjoy the letter notes, whichever version you know best 🙂
F F D – F .Bb C D
It’s the hardknock life for us!
F F D – F A Bb ^C
It’s the hardknock life for us!
Bb-Bb G-Bb ^F ^D Bb
‘Steada treated we get tricked!
Bb-Bb G-Bb ^F ^D ^C
Steada kisses we get kicked
^F ^F ^D – ^F Bb
It’s the hardknock life!
Bb ^C ^C# ^C#
Don’t it feel like
^C# ^C# ^C Bb-G# F#-F#
The wind is always howl’n?
G# Bb B B B B-Bb G#-F# E
Don’t it seem like there’s never any light?
F# G# A A A
Once a day don’t you
A – G# F# E D D
Wanna throw the towel in?
G B-B-B B B-B ^C B E
It’s easier than putting up a fight
G A Bb Bb Bb
No one’s there when your
Bb A G F D#-D#
Dreams at night get creepy!
F G G# G# G# G# G F D# C#
No one cares if you grow or if you shrink!
G-G A-A Bb ^C-^C Bb-Bb G
Empty belly life! Rotten smelly life!
G Bb G-F F G Bb-G-F D#
Full of sorrow life! No tomorrow life!
F – F D F .Bb-C D
Santa Claus, we never see
F -F D A A Bb ^C
Santa Claus, what’s that? Who’s he?
Bb Bb G Bb ^F ^D Bb
No one cares for you a bit
Bb G Bb ^F-^D ^C
When you’re a foster kid
^F ^F ^D – ^F Bb
It’s the hardknock life
F F D – F .Bb C D
It’s the hardknck life for us
F F D – F A Bb ^C
It’s the hardknock life for us
Bb-Bb G-Bb ^F ^D Bb
‘Steada treated we get tricked!
Bb-Bb G-Bb ^F ^D ^C
‘Steada kisses we get kicked!
^E ^E ^C#-^E A B ^C#
It’s the hardknock life for us
E E C# E G# A B
It’s the hard knock life for us
A A F# A ^E ^C# F#
No one cares for you a bit
A F# A ^E-^C# B
When you’re a foster kid
^E ^E ^C# ^E A
It’s a hard knock life!