G
Well dad said son don't you be a fool, 
F 
Stay away from that ole brown mule,
C                                 G        
He's mean as a snake and twice as quick,
        G
Oh but always the kind that had to be shown,
F
I couldn't listen no I couldn't be told,
C
Even way back then I had to get my kicks,

[Chorus]
    G  
Yea I?ve been a rebel and it don't pay,
           F
There ain't no future in living this way, 
    C                                         G
It ain't worth the trouble and I've tried to change,
            G
Yeah I've done it the hard way all my life,
     F
It cost me plenty to many times,
C                            G 
I been a rebel and it don't pay,

[Verse]
G
If there's a bump in the road well I hit'em all,
          F
You don't really learn till you hit a brick wall,
          C                             G 
Back up and say man I could have gone around that,
        G
Yeah sometimes I wish I could just go along,
              F
But that hard headed streaks just a little to long,
             C                              G
Getting first hand knowledge going no where fast,

[Chorus]
    G  
Yea I?ve been a rebel and it don't pay,
           F
There ain't no future in living this way, 
    C                                         G
It ain't worth the trouble and I've tried to change,
            G
Yeah I've done it the hard way all my life,
     F
It cost me plenty to many times,
C                            G 
I been a rebel and it don't pay,