His daddy walked into a liquor store on Friday night
With a heart beatin' fast, tremblin' hands and desperate eyes
He had a little boy, still he made that choice

The boy grew up in the shadow cast by his old man
His future stained from the blood on his daddy's hands
Though he shared his name, he was not the same

He said, 'No'
(No)
'You can't make me go down that road'
'Heaven knows'
(Knows)
'I won't let you bury my soul'

'I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run'
'From what the world expects you to become'
'When you're the son of a gun'
'Son of a gun'

It's hard to live in a dirty town and keep your hands clean
Those boys down the street took him for a ride when he was 15
He was in the dark in a stolen car

Well, it was too late turn around when the sirens wailed
They hit the gas, screamin' fast, headed straight for hell
When the blue lights flashed, so did the years p***

He said, 'No'
(No)
'You can't make me go down that road'
'Heaven knows'
(Knows)
'I won't let you bury my soul'

'I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run'
'From what the world expects you to become'
'When you're the son of a gun'

He saw the driver reach down
From under the seat, a pistol came out

The policeman spoke about the boy at his graveside
How he took the hit of a 38 and saved his life
And he swore he heard these last words

'No'
(No)
'You can't make me go down that road'
'Heaven knows'
(Knows)
'I won't let you bury my soul'

'I'm gonna fight till I die, there's nowhere to run'
'From what the world expects you to become'
'From what the world expects you to become'
'When you're the son of a gun'
'Son of a gun'

Oh, son of a gun, son of a gun
Oh, son of a gun, yeah, son of a gun
Son of a gun, son of a gun