From the girl in my dreams, I knew about the hood
Had a little baby, life was all good
Then I got to call, if something was wrong
Next thing I know, I was back to my old ways
Goin' out, till they came and took me away
Now everything I work for is gone (gone)

Refrain:
Oooh, I wish I wanna turn away
I was still be free today
Sometimes it don’t pay to be the hero
Oooh, should I look into my baby's eyes
Before I took another man his life
It don’t pay to be the hero

There is something I can say to bring him back
They lost him just right there
I wish that we could turn around
There is something I can say to bring him back
They lost him just right there
I wish that we could turn around

Don't know why I was to hard to let the life go
I was mad, wasn't thinking `bout my family at home
And how much they're dependent on me
Now I'm looking at 20 years…
I'm not gonna get the chance to see my baby grow
And what she gonna think about her daddy (daddy)
Ohhh

Refrain:
Oooh, I wish I wanna turn away
I was still be free today
Sometimes it don’t pay to be the hero
Oooh, should I look into my baby's eyes
Before I took another man his life
It don’t pay to be the hero

There is something I can say to bring him back
They lost him just right there
I wish that we could turn around
There is something I can say to bring him back
They lost him just right there
I wish that we could turn around

So many nights I don't sleep (nights I don't sleep)
Couse I think about the things that I've seen (things that I've seen)
They're almost really driving me crazy (driving me crazy)
Instead the piece of mess seperates my family from me

Refrain:
Oooh, I wish I wanna turn away
I was still be free today
Sometimes it don’t pay to be the hero
Oooh, should I look into my baby's eyes
Before I took  another man his life
It don’t pay to be the hero