The cast of Something Rotten! Brought the funny and creative Broadway musical to life with great energy and strong singing. With stars like Christian Borle, Brian d’Arcy James, and John Cariani, the cast was praised for their comedy and powerful vocals.
The show earned ten Tony Award nominations, and Christian Borle won Best Featured Actor in a Musical. Their fun and lively performance made the show a favorite for fans of both Shakespeare and musicals.
About the Song
Hard to Be the Bard is a witty and dramatic song from Something Rotten!, sung by the character William Shakespeare.
In the song, he comically complains about the pressure of being a famous writer and keeping up his reputation. It’s full of humor, flair, and over-the-top emotion.
| Category | Info |
|---|---|
| Released | June 2, 2015 |
| Album | Something Rotten! (Original Broadway Cast) |
| Writers | Wayne Kirkpatrick, Karey Kirkpatrick |
| Producers | Kevin McCollum, Karey Kirkpatrick, Wayne Kirkpatrick and Kurt Deutsch |
Lyrics of Hard to Be the Bard
SHAKESPEARE
My days are so busy, it’s making me dizzy
There’s so much I gotta do
There’s lunches and meetings and poetry readings
And endless interviews
Gotta pose for a portrait and how I deplore
Sittin’ there for eternity
Then it’s off to the inn where my innkeeper friend
Wants to name a drink after me
Then it’s back to my room, where I resume
My attempt to write a hit
Just me and my beer and the terrible fear
That I might be losing it
SHAKESPEARE (MANSERVANTS)
And it’s hard (It’s hard)
It’s hard (It’s hard)
SHAKESPEARE & MANSERVANTS
It’s really, really hard
So very, very hard
SHAKESPEARE (MANSERVANTS)
I make it look easy but honey, believe me
It’s hard (It’s hard)
It’s hard (It’s hard)
It’s so
SHAKESPEARE & MANSERVANTS
Incredibly hard
So inconceivably, unbelievably hard
SHAKESPEARE
It’s hard to be the bard
(spoken)
Honestly, I don’t know how I do it. There’s only so much of me to go around
SHAKESPEARE (MANSERVANTS)
I’ve got so many fans with so many demands
I can hardly go take a piss (He can’t pee)
Be it theater freak or the autograph-seeker
They all want a piece of this (Gimme, gimme)
It’s a cross that I bear, I’m like Jesus, I swear
It’s a burden but I suffer through it (He is suffering)
It’s all part of the game, the trappings of fame
But somebody’s gotta do it (So he does it)
And I know, I know, I gotta go
And get back to my pen and ink
Oh, don’t make me do it
Don’t make me go through it
Can somebody get me a drink?
‘Cause it’s hard (It’s hard)
It’s hard (It’s hard)
It’s really, really hard (It’s really hard)
SHAKESPEARE & MANSERVANTS
It’s sexy but it’s hard
SHAKESPEARE (MANSERVANTS)
This bar that I’m raising
To be this amazing!
It’s hard (It’s hard)
It’s hard (It’s hard)
It’s so
SHAKESPEARE & MANSERVANTS
Annoyingly hard
So unavoidably, un-enjoyably hard
SHAKESPEARE
It’s hard to be the bard, baby
(spoken)
Ugh. I know writing made me famous, but being famous is just so much more fun. You see…
(sung)
What people just don’t understand
Is that writing’s demanding
It’s mentally challenging and it’s a bore
It’s such a chore
To sit in a room by yourself
Oh my god, I just hate it!
And you’re trying to find an opening line
Or a brilliant idea and you’re pacing the floor
And hoping for just a bit of divine intervention
That one little nugget, that one little spark
Then Eureka! You find it, you’re ready to start
So now you can write, right? Wrong!
You’re not even close, you remember that, damn it
Your play’s gotta be in iambic pentameter!
So you write down a word but it’s not the right word
So you try a new word but you hate the new word
And you need a good word but you can’t find the word
Oh, where is it, what is it, what is it, where is it?
Blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah-blah, blah-ah-ha-ha—
VALET, spoken
Sir?
SHAKESPEARE, spoken
Hello!
VALET, spoken
You asked for information on what Nicholas Bottom is writing. Our spy is here with the news
SHAKESPEARE, spoken
Did he see me losing it?
VALET, spoken
He’s half blind, sir
SHAKESPEARE, spoken
Oh, good. Then he only saw half of it. You see what I did? Ha ha…
VALET, spoken
Oh, yes, yes, yes, wonderful, ha ha
SHAKESPEARE, spoken
Speak, man. What news?
EYEPATCH MAN, spoken
I saw Nick Bottom, I did. He paid a soothsayer to foresee what Shakespeare’s greatest play would be
SHAKESPEARE, spoken
That sneaky little thief! Why doesn’t he come up with his own ideas!?
MANSERVANTS
It’s hard
SHAKESPEARE, spoken
No, it is, isn’t it?
SHAKESPEARE (MANSERVANTS)
It’s really the worst (It’s hard)
Makes me wonder why I didn’t think of that first (It’s hard)
Hard to alleviate the pressure to create (It’s hard)
Hard to do something as good as the last thing I did that was already great (It’s hard)
It’s hard (So hard that he is stealing from the bard)
Well I’ll hoist him by his petard
All that I need is a clever disguise (Clever disguise)
I’ll make him pay for his devious lies (Devious lies)
Let him do all the tedious stuff
The work that’s terribly and unbearably hard (Oh, hard)
SHAKESPEARE, spoken
All right, Nick Bottom. I think Shakespeare needs to find out what Shakespeare’s next big hit will be!
SHAKESPEARE (MANSERVANTS)
‘Cause it’s hard! (It’s hard, it’s totally hard)
It’s hard! (It’s hard, it’s totally hard)
It’s hard! (It’s hard, it’s totally hard)
Fortune and fame
Everyone knows my name
I can’t help it, it’s still freaking hard
Similar Songs Like Hard to Be the Bard
Below is a list of similar songs like Hard to be the Bard:
-
Welcome to the Renaissance: A cheerful opening number that sets the stage. It talks about how great the Renaissance is—with lots of jokes.
-
God, I Hate Shakespeare: It’s loud, funny, and full of bitterness track where Nick sings about how much he dislikes Shakespeare.
-
A Musical: One of the show’s biggest songs where a soothsayer explains musicals. It’s packed with references to real Broadway shows.
Similar Artists Like the Cast of Something Rotten
These artists share the comic genius of Hard to Be the Bard. Their music blends a funny side, wordplay, and theater references you’ll likely enjoy.
- Christian Borle
Genres: Broadway, Musical Theatre
Top Albums: Legally Blonde: The Musical (2007), Something Rotten! (2015), Falsettos (2016) - Brian d’Arcy James
Genres: Broadway, Theatre
Top Albums: Something Rotten! (2015), Shrek the Musical (2009), Sweet Smell of Success (2002) - Norbert Leo Butz
Genres: Broadway, Jazz-Influenced Vocal
Top Albums: Catch Me If You Can (2011), The Last Five Years (2002), Memory & Mayhem (2013) - Jeff Bowen
Genres: Musical Theatre, Pop Theatre
Top Albums: [title of show] (2006), Now. Here. This. (2012) - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Genres: Hip Hop, Broadway, Latin-Inspired Theatre
Top Albums: In the Heights (2008), Hamilton (2015), Encanto (2021)
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there Any Notable Lines or Lyrics in the Song?
Yes! One memorable line is: “Oh, God, I hate Shakespeare… that’s right, I said it!”—which holds the song’s over-the-top comedy and self-awareness.
Is Hard to Be the Bard Suitable for Auditions or Performances?
Yes! It’s a great choice for male performers who want to showcase both comedic timing and strong vocals, especially for musical theatre auditions.
What Vocal Range is Needed for Hard to Be the Bard?
The song is written for a baritone/tenor range and requires expressive singing and good breath control, especially to match the theatrical delivery.
