I grew up in a town where tough was a cigarette
And a souped up car on a county road
Nothin´ much to do back then
So we´d make bets
On how much drink a guy could hold
And I held my own
Learn to hold my own

Daddy works some dead-end job at the concrete plant
Mama taught the Sunday bible class
For eighteen years I remember thinkin´
There was more to life than that
So I ran the streets to beat the Devil
Goin´ just as fast as I could fly
´Cause I came here to live
I didn´t come here to die

Mama used to wait for me with the porch light on
Worried about her little boy ´til I got home
Daddy he´d say listen son
But back then there wasn´t much
That I didn´t already know

I reckon I was doing close to 80
When I felt the tire slip out from under me
And I never set out lookin´ for Jesus
So I guess Jesus come lookin´ for me
And He found me upset down in a ditch
Smokin´ gas in my eyes
And He said son you came here to live
You didn´t come here to die

Sunday morning I got up and I went to church
That summer I got a job and I went to work
Met a girl in town put some money down
On a little house with a yard

Our little boy was due in September
But he came early in July
For eighteen days all I remember
Was settin´ there at his side
Sayin´ son open up your eyes
Just open up your eyes
´Cause you came here to live
You didn´t come here to die
Son you came here to live