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 I learned 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' That 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 underneath 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 I 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"