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!

...without feelin’ the burn
And I ain’t got nothin’ that I did not earn
Chasin’ that ooooh 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
……………..
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!