When I was a young man, I had to kick and scratch and claw
Now it's like top gun in the Old West, everybody wants me to draw
If I had known it would be like this I might have given it a second thought
But if someone had told me to give it up, it's a line that I wouldn't have bought
Look at me
I'm the great white hope
Can't you see
I'm up against the ropes
Don't you know
It's so hard to cope
When you feel
Like the great white hope
Now you've paid your money you're sitting in your ringside seat
And I know that some of you out there, might wanna see the champ get beat
If I had known it would be like this I might have given it a second thought
But real life sure isn't like school, there's some lessons that just can't be taught
Look at me
I'm the great white hope
Can't you see
I'm up against the ropes
Don't you know
It's so hard to cope
When you feel
Like the great white hope