[Intro]
(Kick drum thump, gritty riff)
Yeah
Turn it loose
This one’s for the ones who never clocked out
[Verse 1]
Sun up red on a county line
Oil on my hands, gravel in my mind
Raised on work, not waiting around
Earned every inch of the ground I stand on
Old truck hums like a gospel hymn
Every mile taught me who I am
Ain’t chasing trends, ain’t chasing fame
Just keeping my word and feeding my name
[Pre-Chorus]
I was raised on sweat and scars
And freedom don’t come soft or smart
[Chorus]
Hard work builds strong men
Strong men build it all
From the barns and bridges
To the cities standing tall
Hard work builds strong men
Strong men don’t bend
They build it, guard it, pass it down
Again and again
[Verse 2]
Some folks live fast behind café glass
Talking dreams while the day slips past
That’s their road, this one’s mine
I’ll take calloused hands over wasting time
While the city sleeps with the doors locked tight
Someone’s running wire in the dead of night
Ain’t looking down, just standing proud
Different paths, but mine’s worn loud
[Pre-Chorus]
When the storm hits hard and the power’s gone
You’ll know who kept the backbone strong
[Chorus]
Hard work builds strong men
Strong men build it all
Every road that rolls
Every wall that holds
Hard work builds strong men
Strong men stay true
When it all goes dark
They’re the ones pushing through
[Bridge] (half-time outlaw swagger)
Real men wear boots, beat up and broke
Cowboy heels kicking dust and smoke
Combat lace when the line gets tight
Blue-collar steel toes earning the night
They work to provide, not to be seen
Keep this whole machine running clean
They hold the ground so the lights stay bright
So the city can rest easy every night
[Guitar Solo]
(Slide guitar, greasy and proud)
[Final Chorus]
Hard work builds strong men
Strong men build everything
Every beam, every spark
Every freedom we sing
Hard work builds strong men
Strong men don’t fade
They stand their ground
Long after the noise slips away
[Outro]
Outlaw raised
Straight-backed proud
Built by work
Not the crowd
Yeah…
Strong men ain’t borrowed
They’re outlaw built
