Trouble was on my street everyday

I'd either talk or fight but never run away

I worked as hard as two and barely made a living

An outcast from a one horse town

I thought I had some friends

But they just let me down

Even when I hit the street,

I thought someone was kidding

I thought they were kidding

Ya gotta be your own man

You can't depend on anybody else

Ya gotta be your own man

You can't depend on anybody else

Ya gotta be your own man

That's all there is to becoming

Someone who's really free

Ya gotta be your own man

And some people think they're pretty smart

They tell you things they hope will break your heart

But every time they do

I swear to you I never listen

One lesson I learned in life

You gotta butter your bread

Before they let you use the knife

But when they do you can make up for you been missing'

All you been missing

Ya gotta be your own man

You can't depend on anybody else

Ya gotta be your own man

That's all there is to becoming

Someone who's really free