Growin' up the hard way,
we're growin' up the hard way.

She's got a blue tattoo on the back of her hand,
That says I love you, from the boys in the band.
She's been livin' on the run for almost a year,
Her daddy would abuse her, she's been livin' in fear.

She's got a diamond in her teeth and a leather beret,
She knows every city street from New York to LA.
Shes got little girl eyes
and her heart's made of stone,
I guess you gotta grow up fast
when you're out on your own.

Try, to hold your head up high,
you live and then you die,
Can someone tell me why?

Growin' up the hard way, learnin' how to live with the pain,
The weight of the world on your shoulders,
I guess that's just the price that you pay.
Growin' up the hard way, it's gettin' harder every day,
Lying in a bed made of fire,
Praying to God for some rain.
Growin' up the hard way.

He was the pride and joy of his family,
He always was the good boy they told him he'd be.
But no one knew the anger that was buildin' up inside,
He was drinking from the bottle,
that his old man used to hide.

He stole a rented car off route 35,
And when he gunned it I heard him scream
'Straight to hell I'm gonna drive'.
Cops came out of nowhere
and that truck got in his way,
I'm sorry Mrs Johnson that it had to end this way.

Try, to hold your head up high,
you live and then you die,
Can someone tell me why?

Growin' up the hard way, learning how to live with the pain,
The weight of the world on your shoulders,
I guess that's just the price that you pay.
Growin' up the hard way, it's gettin' harder every day,
Lying in a bed made of fire,
Praying to God for some rain.

Growin' up the hard way, Growin' up the hard way.
Growin' up the hard way, Growin' up the hard way.

Try, to hold your head up high.
Growin' up the hard way, learning how to live with the pain,
The weight of the world on your shoulders,
I guess that's just the price that you pay.
Growin' up the hard way, it's gettin' harder everyday,
Lying in a bed made of fire,
Praying to God for some rain.

Growin' up the hard way, Growin' up the hard way.
I'm growin' up the hard way,
Growin' up the hard way baby.
Growin' up the hard way.