Lyrics

He's got a wall of fancy papers hangin' proud above his chair,
Talks about his scholarships like trophies at the county fair.
He'll tell you he's intelligent, the smartest man alive,
But he can't hold down a conversation longer than a truck stop drive.

He knows every big ol' textbook, every theory, every chart,
But when it comes to people, well, he just can't play the part.
He's fluent in equations, but he's lost in simple truth,
A genius in the classroom, but a stranger to real proof.

(Chorus)
'Cause there's a man who learned his lessons in the university of life,
Knows how to raise his babies and be faithful to his wife.
He can change a nappy half-asleep, fix a fence before it breaks,
Understands that bein' honest is the smartest move you make.
One's got diplomas on the wall -- the other's wisdom shining through,
And between the two of them, I know which one is truly clever too.

He's the kind who shows up early, puts his back into the day,
Knows the worth of calloused hands and what a promise has to weigh.
He might not quote a poet, but he knows just what to do
When a neighbour needs a hand or a friend needs pullin' through.

(Bridge)
You can measure brains in numbers, you can grade a written test,
But you can't score love or kindness or a heart that gives its best.
And when life gets rough and heavy, only one man sees it through --
The one who learned from livin', not the one who only knew.

(Chorus)
'Cause there's a man who learned his lessons in the university of life,
Knows how to raise his babies and be faithful to his wife.
He can change a nappy half-asleep, fix a fence before it breaks,
Understands that bein' honest is the smartest move you make.
One's got diplomas on the wall -- the other's wisdom shining through,
And between the two of them, I know which one is truly clever too.

So here's to all the quiet men who never brag or boast,
Who know the things that matter and who give their very most.
You won't find their names in textbooks, but their truth is tried and true --
And the world turns on the shoulders of the ones like him... not you.