It's hard to be a nice guy all the time
Everybody knows that guilty feeling
When you hurt the one you love
Yes, I'm guilty of that crime

It's a strain to maintain that loving feeling
Even when you say, "Don't be cruel"
People being what they are, there's danger
There's gun battles in the suburbs

I didn't mean to be mean
Oh, no
I didn't mean to be mean
Oh, no

It's hard to be a nice guy all the time
Everybody knows that guilty feeling
When you hurt the one you love
Yes I'm guilty of that crime

Now I wouldn't say I was no saint
But there are worse things that I ain't
My old mum will stand by me
And she's as true as she can be

I didn't mean to be mean
Oh, no
I didn't mean to be mean
Oh, no
I didn't mean to be mean
Oh, no
No, no, no
I didn't mean to be mean
Oh, no
I didn't mean to be mean
Oh, no