The day the Elvis died was like a mercy killing
America breathed a sigh of relief
We knew all about the [bad word] and the Vegas shows
And there wasn't much of anything that looked like grief

And I guess he shoulda done like James Dean did
'Stead of putting on weight and sinking down, down, down
Easier to take if he had just skidded straight
To souvenir city and T-shirt town

And sometimes I wish I was smarter that I am
But I'm on my 3rd city
And I'm on my 4th car
And I'm on my 5th apartment
And so many of my days have [bad word] 

And now it's too late to crash
Too late to burn
Too late to die young

If Pete Rose had exploded like Roberto Clemente
He'd be hanging in the Hall of Fame without fail
Can you name the last good film Marlon Brando made
While trying to keep his kid from going to jail
And the old people in the street are telling you
"Don't [bad word] like me" but
Every day you creep a little bit closer

And I guess we shoulda done like James Dean did
'Stead of putting on weight and sinking down, down, down
Easier to take if we'd have had just skidded straight
To souvenir city and T-shirt town

And sometimes I wish I was smarter that I am
But I'm on my 3rd city
And I'm on my 4th car
And I'm on my 5th apartment
And so many of my days have [bad word] 

And now it's too late to crash
Too late to burn
Too late to die
Now its too late to crash
Too late to burn
Too late to die young