On the night I arrived my daddy said "Sakes Alive,
He's the meanest one that we've had yet!"
Teethed on tin and weened on gin
I was nobody's teacher's pet

I grew up rough and mean in my early teens
And I didn't want to go to school
I called no man "Sir" and work was a dirty word
My biggest kick was breakin' the rules

Now when you see me comin', get away
The one's that didn't ain't around today
The sweetest piece of lovin' any girl ever had
I'm here to tell ya boys I was born to be bad
Born, born to be bad, I was born, born to be bad

Now when I reached 21 I had that ole ramblin' itch
Breakin' little girls hearts I tore the world apart
A guitar-playin' son of a...

Born to be bad
That's the story of my life
Yeah, doin' things wrong
Is my way of doin' things right

Now when I'm gray and old and my story's told
I know what the people will say
They'll be glad to see me go
But the little girls will know
I was bad til my dyin' day

So when you see me comin', get away
The one's that didn't ain't around today
The sweetest piece of lovin' any girl ever had
I'm here to tell ya boys I was born to be bad
Born, born to be bad, I was born, born to be bad

Now when I'm old and gray
And I've had my day
I know what the people will do
They'll be glad to see me go
But the little girls will know
I was bad til the day I was through

So when you see me comin', get away
The one's that didn't ain't around today
The sweetest piece of lovin' any girl ever had
I'm here to tell ya boys I was born to be bad
Born, born to be bad, I was born, born to be bad