You think you're tough with your bass speakers kicking in the back 

And your triple X lyrics blaring from your puke green Cadillac 

You've got your bling bling on 

And your tattoos running up and down your arms 

Ah ain't you bad with the seat of your britches hanging down that far 

Yeah, I had to break it to you punk 

But all that stuff ain't got a thing to do with being tough


Cause tough is your fingers bleeding 

It's a hundred degrees and you're gettin no pay

Tough is your old man yelling 

Get up out of that bed at the break of day 

Keeping on going when you know you've had enough


That's tough


It might seem that I'm comin down a little hard on you 

But you think you're a man and you still gotta lot of growin up to do 

I bet you talk a big game when you're hangin' with your boys in some pool hall 

But I wonder how you'd act if you ever had your back up against the wall 

Yeah I'm sure those joints you hang out in get pretty rough 

But you've got a lot to learn about being tough


Cause tough is a single mom workin three jobs so her kids can eat 

Tough is reading bed time stories when your body's begging you to go to sleep 

Given all you've got for what you love 


That's tough


See it wasn't very long ago 

My little brother was about your age 

He joined the Corp and before we knew it they shipped him away 

So far away 

And tough is a momma cryin' waving goodbye as her baby leaves 

Tough is a teenage soldier on the front lines fighting just to keep you free 

Prayin for one more day from God above 


That's tough


Son that's tough 

Pull your britches up!