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Hard Knocks Lyrics by Joe Cocker

The Life of a Man (The Ultimate Hits 1968-2013)

2010

Oh yeah

Didn't take nothin' that I didn't need
'Cause they didn't offer classes in what I want 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

Can't bust through the ceiling without feelin' the burn
And I ain't got nothin' that I did not earn
Chasin' that dollar, still hittin' the books
Studying Donnie and Stevie
I learned to sail the hooks

Talk about those hard knocks
Got the bumps and the bruises to prove it
Hard knocks
Got the right and the reason to choose it
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
Closer to your enemies

(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
That's right
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah)
That's right

I 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, oh Lord
Credits

About “Hard Knocks” by Joe Cocker

Read the complete lyrics to "Hard Knocks" by Joe Cocker from the album "The Life of a Man (The Ultimate Hits 1968-2013)" in 2010. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock.

"Hard Knocks" is performed by Joe Cocker. from the album "The Life of a Man (The Ultimate Hits 1968-2013)" in 2010 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Hard Knocks", explore more songs by Joe Cocker using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Hard Knocks" is credited to Joe Cocker. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Hard Knocks" appears on "The Life of a Man (The Ultimate Hits 1968-2013)" in 2010.

Visit the Joe Cocker artist page at /artist/joe-cocker for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.


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