He handed me the keys and knew I'd take some wrong turns
He quit smokin' and begged me not to try
He'd say: Get too close to the fire, and Son, you'll get burned
But I was too young to know my old man was right

I cranked the car and swore I'd never come back
As I took a drag of a half-smoked Marlboro Light
Well, I could take the heat so I held on to that lit match
'Cause I was too young to know my old man was right

He said: Lessons, they gotta come the hard way
But you'll be hell-bent to learn 'em on your own
It may take your whole life but I bet in due time
Son, you'll find your old man was right

He said: Stand your ground, let your heart fall in love
It may break ya, but it's just part of life
And the good ones always love you just like Jesus does
But I was too young to know my old man was right

But he said: Lessons, they gotta come the hard way
But you'll be hell-bent to learn 'em on your own
It may take your whole life but I bet in due time
Son, you'll find your old man was right

Now it's his turn to watch me be the old man
With my baby boy lyin' by my side
And every lesson that he taught me, I hope I teach him
'Cause I'm old enough to know my old man was right