Oh yeah!
Didn't take nothin' that I didn't need
'Cause they didn't offer classes
in what I wanted 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
Gettin' in and out of situations
Hard knocks
Got the bumps and the bruises to prove it
Hard knocks!
Can’t bump to the ceiling without feelin' the burn
And I ain't got nothin' that I did not earn
Chasin' that daaaah still hittin' the books
Studying Donnie and Stevie
Learn to sail the hooks
Talk about those hard knocks
Got the bumps and the bruises to prove it
Hard knocks
Got the right and the reasons to choose it
Hard knocks
I torn 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
Even closer to your enemies
oh yeah yeah yeah
Graduated from hard knocks
I got my education
And hard knocks
Gettin' in and out of situations
Hard knocks
Got the bumps and the bruises to prove it
Hard knocks!