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