He's got nothing to say, he's got no excuse

He's just made that way, and he's gonna stay that way

Like a dog on the loose in a firework display in a world of his own

No, no, no, he won't back down or go running back home

He's come a long way in life

He's got a long way to go

He don't even know, he don't care because

He's growing up the hard way

In and out of trouble every day

Growing up the hard way

Now no tellin' where you'll end up, boy

And he's got nothing to say, like he's lost for the worlds, his mind is in a daze

That's his way, it's just a little game he plays

He's got nowhere to run while the city sleeps he wanders alone

Cuttin' through the steel and the hearts of stone

He's come a long way in life

He's got a long way to go

He don't even know, but he don't care because

He's growing up the hard way

In and out of trouble every day

Growing up the hard way

You'd better walk the straight and narrow

Growing up the hard way

In and out of trouble every day

Growing up the hard way

Never know what you're in for, boy

He's come a long way in life

He's got a long way to go

He don't wanna know, and he don't care because

He's growing up the hard way

In and out of trouble every day

He's growing up the hard way

Yeah, and he's gonna stay that way

You see, he's growing up the hard way

Walk the straight and narrow yeah, maybe someday

But still he's growing up the hard way

It's just the way he's grown up

Yeah, growing up the hard way

There ain't no other way

Growing up the hard way