| G | C | G | |
| M | y boss man said you better get to work be | fore i have to let you | go |
| A | D | |
| He just walks around and he pays no mind to the s | weat dripping off of my n | ose |
| G | C | |
| But after | 10 long years of him dogging me out t | here's one thing i learned well |
| G | D | G | |
| I | 'd rather be a h | ammer than a n | ail |
| (VERSE 2?) |
| G | C | G | |
| M | y girlfriend she went out on me a h | undred and fifty one t | imes |
| A | D | |
| At least she was honest enough to admit it when she w | asn't too busy l | ying |
| G | C | |
| But i c | ame to a realization the last t | ime she kicked my tail |
| G D G C, G, D, G |
| I'd rather be a hammer than a nail |
| (CHORUS) |
| D | G | |
| I | f you've ever been on the receiving end then | you know what it's like |
| C | G | D | |
| A l | osing situation has been the s | tory of my l | ife |
| G | C | |
| But | i ain't gonna let it beat me down and s | omeday i'll prevail |
| G D G C, G, D, G |
| I'd rather be a hammer than a nail |
| (VERSE 3) |
| G | C | G | |
| I | climbed in the ring with Roberto Duran and the p | unches began to rain d | own |
| A | D | |
| He hit me with a dozen hard upper cuts and my c | orner threw in the t | owel |
| G | C | |
| I | asked him why he had to knock me out and he s | ummed it up real well |
| G | D | G | C | |
| He said i | 'd rather be a h | ammer than a n | ail |
| (END) |
| G | D | G | |
| I | 'd rather be a h | ammer than a n | ail |