I was a little boy of 9 years old
The whole world in my hands
Trying to toss that ball across the yard
game of catch with my old man

He would always say I'm sorry
Every time he had to leave
And I was much to young to understand
When he would say to me

When you're young you always think
The sun is going to shine
There [bad word] a day
When you have to say hello to goodbye
Sit down [bad word] take my hand,
Look me in the eye
Take these words, promise me
You'll live before you die

I was barely seventeen summer of seventy-nine
Already I was feeling like I [bad word] out of time
I had this girl we fell in love
Or should I say that she had me
Then one fateful night changed our lives
And made a memory

When you're young you always think
The sun is going to shine
There [bad word] a day
When you have to say hello to goodbye
She laid me down she took my hand
And looked me in the eye
And just before she kissed me she said
You got to live before we die

You learn to love to live
You fight and you forgive
You learn what's wrong and right
You live before you die

I made mistakes I caught some breaks
But I got not regrets
There's some things I don't remember
But one thing I don't forget

When you're young you always think
The sun is going to shine
One day you're going to have to say hello to goodbye
Shout it out let someone somewhere
Know that you're alive
Take these words wear them well
Live before you die
Live before you die
Hey!
Live before you die

You learn to love to live
You fight and you forgive
You face the darkest night
Just live before you die