Hard Knocks - Joe Cocker

Didn’t take nothing that I didn’t need

'Cause they didn’t offer classes in what I want to be

They didn’t offer manhood responsibility

Had to learn it the hard way, earn my degree in the streets

Graduated from hard knocks, I got my education

And hard knocks cared a little about the situation

Hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Hard knocks

Can’t bust through the ceiling without feeling the burn

And I ain’t got nothing that I didn’t earn

Chasing that dollar, still hitting the books

Studying Donnie and Stevie, I learn to sail the hooks

Talk about those hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Hard knocks, got the rhyme and the reason to choose it

Hard knocks out on the streets

Hard knocks

Had a real good teacher named Mr. Life

Didn’t teach no chemistry but he taught me how to fight

Didn’t teach biology but I learned it from the birds and the bees

Said stay close to your friends, closer to your enemies

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s right

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah that’s right

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so right

I graduated from hard knocks, I got my education

And hard knocks getting in and out of situations

Hard knocks, got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Hard knocks, oh Lord

Feeling at my soul, all the heads in pain

From my hard knocks

I’ve got the bumps and the bruises to prove it

Deep inside, oh yeah