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