[Verse]
G         C      F
Oh, the hells I put myself through
G                         C
The fights I didn't need to fight
                    G                F
This thick head of mine ya couldn't get through
               G                    C        G               C
Had to do it wrong just to get it right ...just to get it right

[Chorus]
   G           C            G        F                       C
I learned the Hard Way but the hard way taught me well the hard way
      G                                       C       F                C
Sure put this boy through some hell The hard way it taught me how to tell
      C                                    G         C    A  G  C
The right way from the wrong and on which side I belong on
C                            F                 G               C
Deep are the memories as a young boy of the lessons that I learned
                                F
My mama warnin' me that fire is no toy
          G
Ya play with fire boy and you get burned ...Oh I got burned

[Chorus]
   G           C            G        F                       C
I learned the Hard Way but the hard way taught me well the hard way
      G                                       C       F                C
Sure put this boy through some hell The hard way it taught me how to tell
      C                                    G         C    A  G  C
The right way from the wrong and on which side I belong on
       A                  G          A                       G
What others learned in Sunday school I learned by gettin' black n' blue

[Chorus]
   G           C            G        F                       C
I learned the Hard Way but the hard way taught me well the hard way
      G                                       C       F                C
Sure put this boy through some hell The hard way it taught me how to tell
      C                                    G         C    A  G  C
The right way from the wrong and on which side I belong on
G         C      F
Oh, the hells I put myself through
G                         C
The fights I didn't need to fight
                    G                F
This thick head of mine ya couldn't get through
               G                    C        G               C
Had to do it wrong just to get it right ...just to get it right

[Chorus]
   G           C            G        F                       C
I learned the Hard Way but the hard way taught me well the hard way
      G                                       C       F                C
Sure put this boy through some hell The hard way it taught me how to tell
      C                                    G         C    A  G  C
The right way from the wrong and on which side I belong on
     C            G          C           C          C
The hard way I learned the hard way I learned the hard way