School-A-Hard Knocks

My poppa said, "Son, get ya education
If you put your mind to it ya could"
But I had visions of a rock 'n' roll star
Like Johnny B. Goode

So I dropped outta school, packed up my guitar
While Poppa looked so depressed
I got me a job with a travelin' band
On the road to my success

Yeah, hard knocks
Pickin' on my six-string box
Everyday learnin', payin' my dues
I'm goin' to the school of hard knocks

Well, the road got rough livin' on the run
Playin' dirty whiskey dumps
Waitin' on experience workin' for a dollar
Pickin' my stumps

And after ten long years of road-map livin'
Sweatin' through one-night hops
I got my education as a guitar player
Straight from the school of hard knocks

Yeah, hard knocks
Pickin' on my six-string box
Everyday learnin', payin' my dues
I'm goin' to the school of hard knocks

Now practice makes ya perfect, I know darn well
So I'll keep toein' the line
With a little luck, I'm gonna have me
A big hit record in time

So I'll keep shufflin' through every honky tonk
Just to keep improvin' my chops
And if ya wanna reach me, send me a letter
Address it to the school of hard knocks

Yeah, hard knocks
Pickin' on my six-string box
Everyday learnin', payin' my dues
I'm goin' to the school of hard knocks

Pickin' on my six-string box
Everyday learnin', payin' my dues
I'm goin' to the school of hard knocks
To the school of hard knocks