"Hard Times" is the seventh single from British rapper and songwriter Plan B's second studio album, The Defamation of Strickland Banks. On 19 May 2011, it was released as a digital download, featuring newly recorded vocal parts by Elton John and Paloma Faith, recorded as a charity single with all the proceeds benefiting victims of the 2010 Pakistan floods and 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[1] The song was used by Sky Sports in the build up to Crystal Palace vs West Bromwich Albion in April 2010.[2]
Track listing
- "Hard Times" (featuring Elton John & Paloma Faith) – 4:05
 
- "Hard Times" (featuring Elton John & Paloma Faith) – 4:05
 
- "Hard Times" (Live) (featuring Elton John & Paloma Faith) – 5:44
 
- "Hard Times" (Edit) – 3:48
 
Personnel
- Plan B – vocals, producer[4]
 
- Production[4]
 
- David McEwan – producer
 
- Eric Appapoulay – additional producer
 
- Mark "Top" Rankin – engineer, mixing
 
- Additional musicians (single version)
 
- Elton John – piano, vocals
 
- Paloma Faith – vocals
 
- Additional musicians (album version)[4]
 
- Tom Wright-Goss – guitar
 
- Eric Appapoulay – bass, backing vocals
 
- Richard Cassell – drums
 
- Everton Newson – violin
 
- Louisa Fuller – violin
 
- Sally Herbert – violin
 
- Warren Zielinski – violin
 
- Bruce White – viola
 
- Sonia Slany – viola
 
- Ian Burdge – cello
 
 
Release history
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