you meet a lot of travellers on the road that winds 
through life
some hands hold the light of love, some hands conceal a 
knife
some friends stand behind you, some lie right to your 
face
i don't have time for looking back, i've got to run 
this race

some receive salvation and they love you for your 
prayers
some resent the role you played and claim the work was 
theirs
some people like to put you down 'cause they know you 
won't fight back
some folks speak of love and peace but their heart is 
cold and black

down a long hard road, where i come from
down a long hard road i'm travelling on
down a long hard road and i keep going, going, going, 
going
down a long hard road, where i come from
down a long hard road that i've been on
down a long hard road and i keep going, going, going

some people never understand the road you're travelling 
on
some people hate you while you live, some love you when 
you're gone
forget about you're reputation, Satan's gonna shake it 
up
make it up

all right now
down a long hard road, where i come from
down a long hard road i'm travelling on
down a long hard road and i keep going, going, going, 
going
down a long hard road, where i come from
down a long hard road that i've been on
down a long hard road, i just keep going, going, going, 
going

it's great to feel that love for all those people that 
you know
but if they change direction, wish them well and let 
them go
you know it may be sad to lose so many friend along the 
way
but the road i'm walking on, it gets more narrow every 
day
yeah

down a long hard road, where i come from
down a long hard road i'm travelling on
down a long hard road, i just keep going, going, going, 
going
down a long hard road, where i come from
down a long hard road that i've been on
down a long hard road, i just keep going, going, going, 
going
down a long hard road
down a long hard road
down a long hard road, i just keep going, going, going, 
going