School of Hard Knocks

I was brought up on the streets, British working class
My mother played piano, it echoes from the past
My father was a drinking man working all his life
Keeping us together through the trouble and the strife

I was brought up in the back streets
At the school of hard knocks
Trying to find my own feet
At the school of hard knocks
School of hard knocks

My brother had a friend, he taught me some guitar
I didn't have a clue I just felt it in my heart
I was playing, praying, trying to break away
Looking for my future down the Rock 'n' Roll highway

I was running on the back streets
At the school of hard knocks
Rocking to my own beat
At the school of hard knocks
School of hard knocks

I was trying to find my own feet
Rocking to m the back streets
Running from the back streets
At the school of hard knocks
School of hard knocks

Playing in a band, it's harder than you think
Trying to keep away from the drug abuse and drink
I lost a lot of friends but I had to make a choice
To find another path and hear my inner
Voice

I was rocking on the back streets
At the school of hard knocks
Trying to find my own feet
At the school of hard knocks

I was rocking on the back streets
Trying to find my own feet
Brought up in the back streets
At the school of hard knocks
School of hard knocks