Well dad said son don't you be a fool
Stay away from that old brown mule
He's mean as a snake and twice as quick
Oh but always that kind that had to be shown
I couldn't listen I couldn't be told
Even way back then I had to get my kicks

Yeah I been a rebel and it don't pay
There ain't no future in livin' this way
It ain't worth the trouble and I've tried to change
Yeah I done it the hard way all my life
It's cost me plenty too many times
I been a rebel and it don't pay

If there's a bump in the road well I hit 'em all
You don't really learn 'til you hit a brick wall
Back up and say man I could'a gone around that
Yeah sometimes I wish I could just go along
But that hard headed streak's just a little too long
Gettin' first hand knowledge and goin' nowhere fast

Yeah I been a rebel and it don't pay
There ain't no future in livin' this way
It ain't worth the trouble and I've tried to change
Yeah I done it the hard way all my life
It's cost me plenty too many times
I been a rebel and it don't pay

Yeah I been a rebel and it don't pay
There ain't no future in livin' this way
It ain't worth the trouble and I've tried to change
Yeah I done it the hard way all my life
It's cost me plenty too many times
I been a rebel and it don't pay