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 upsite  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 sittin' 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