When I was just a young boy
I had to work hard 'cause my daddy was gone
My momma said, "Son, life is never easy
And if you wanna win then you gotta be strong"
I gotta be strongI heard her say, "It ain't ever black or white
But when it's time to choose
I know you'll do what's right
You gotta stand up and fight"Give it up, give it everything you got
Give it all, if you wanna take it to the top
Give it up, 'cause you know there'll come a time
When you gotta lay it, lay it, lay it
You gotta lay it on the lineWell I, well I was only fifteen
When I heard that rock 'n' roll sound
Oh, what a sound!
I bought a secondhand six-string
And I played it out of that neon townI still recall those old words from yesterday
I pick up that old guitar
And every time I play
I can still hear her sayGive it up, give it everything you got
Give it all, if you wanna take it to the top
Give it up, 'cause you know there'll come a time
When you gotta lay it, lay it, lay it
You gotta lay it on the lineI remember those hard times
I always had to fight just to make it through
But now it's all behind me, but those old words
Still ring true, still ring true nowThe more it changes, the more it stays the same
And boy, I'm telling you, if you wanna play the game
The lesson's still the sameGive it up, give it everything you got
Give it all, if you wanna take it to the top
Give it up, 'cause you know there'll come a time
When you gotta lay it, lay it, lay it
You gotta lay it on the lineGive it all, if you wanna take it to the top
Give it up, 'cause you know there'll come a time
When you gotta lay it, lay it, lay it
You gotta lay it on the lineLay it on the line