They say I'm getting older and my hair is turnin' grey,
They say I should be slowing down, give it all away.
Living like a gypsy doesn't bother me at all,
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at 
all'.

Now, I could've been a shearer and I could've been a 
vet,
Could've been a lot of things, of this much you can 
bet.
A man can sit there hangin' like a picture on the wall,
But I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at 
all'.

Oh, I'd sooner be 'has been' than a 'never was at all',
All my life I had a go, really had a ball.
If you don't climb the ladder, mate, then you can never 
fall,
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at 
all'.

[Instrumental]

When I look at that old suitcase and I think of how it 
was,
The bad times and the good times, hey, and we did it 
just because.
I know I had to try it and today I'm standing tall,
'Cause I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at 
all'.

Now, you won't reach the finish line if you don't ever 
start
You'll never live and you'll never love if you don't 
have a heart.
So don't just sit there whinging mate, it's no damn 
good at all
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at 
all'.

Oh, I'd sooner be 'has been' than a 'never was at all',
Give it everything I'd got, really had a ball.
If you don't climb the ladder, mate, then you can never 
fall,
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at 
all'.

And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at 
all'.
Oh laydee oh, laydee Oh, laydee