When I walk beside her
i am the better man
when I look to leave her
I always stagger back again
once I built an ivory tower
so I could worship from above
and when I climbed down to be set free
she took me in again


there's a big
a big hard sun
beaten on the big people
in the big hard world


when she comes to greet me
she is mercy at my feet
when I see her pin her charm
she just throws it back again
once I sought an early grave
to find a better land
she just smiled and laughed at me
and took her blues back again


there's a big
a big hard sun
beaten on the big people
in the big hard world


when I go to cross that river
she is comfort by my side
when I try to understand
she just opens up her eyes


once I stood to lose her
when I saw what I had done
bound down and flew away the hours
of her garden and her sun
so I tried to warn her
I'll turn to see her weep
40 days and 40 nights
and it's still coming down on me


there's a big
a big hard sun
beaten on the big people
in the big hard world


-Eddie Vedder