The Hard Way (Steve Earle album)

All songs written by Steve Earle unless otherwise noted.

1. "The Other Kind" - 5:09
2. "Promise You Anything" - 2:43 (Earle, Maria McKee, Patrick Sugg)
3. "Esmeralda's Hollywood" - 6:01 (Earle, Maria McKee)
4. "Hopeless Romantics" - 2:45
5. "This Highway's Mine (Roadmaster)" - 3:54
6. "Billy Austin" - 6:16
7. "Justice in Ontario" - 4:47
8. "Have Mercy" - 4:41
9. "When the People Find Out" - 4:10
10. "Country Girl" - 4:11
11. "Regular Guy" - 3:17
12. "West Nashville Boogie" - 3:09
13. "Close Your Eyes" - 4:44

• Steve Earle - lead vocal, acoustic guitar, electric guitars, mandolin, Mandoblaster, 6-string bass, guitar synthesizer on "Billy Austin", percussion programme on "This Highway's Mine", harmonies on "Justice In Ontario" and "Hopeless Romantics"

The Dukes

• Bucky Baxter - Mullins pedal steel guitar
• Ken Moore - organ, synthesizer, string arrangements on "Esmeralda's Hollywood"
• Zip Gibson - electric guitars, vocals
• Kelly Looney - bass, vocals
• Craig Wright - drums

with:

• John Jarvis - piano
• Lester Snell - organ on "When the People Find Out" and director of chorus
• Patrick Earle - percussion
• Stacey Earle Mims - harmony on "Promise You Anything"
• The Christ Missionary Baptist Church Choir - chorus on "When the People Find Out"
• Amy Dotson, Billy Baker, Billy Steele, Chip Phillips, Chuck Allen, Craig Wright, Denis Colby, Doug Baker, Ian Earle, Justin Townes Earle, Katryna Haddrick, Kelly Looney, Ken Moore, Patrick Earle, Peter Keppler, Robyn Gibson, Scot Bonner, Stacey Earle Mims, Tommy McRae, Zip Gibson - backing vocals on "Regular Guy", directed by Skott Nelson
• Patricia Snell, Susan Jerome, William C. Brown III - backing vocals on "Close Your Eyes"

• The Hard Way at AllMusic