grandpa campbell would sit upon his front porch
and i'd be right there just sittin on his knee
he'd tell stories about love and feast and famine
and i'd hang onto every word that he would breathe
he'd say boy as you walk through this life
here's a little wisdom that'll help you get by

you gotta live to learn
you gotta crash and burn
you gotta make some stances
and take some chances
you gotta live and love
and take all life has to give
you gotta live and learn
so you can learn to live

well i left home and i went to carolina
i didn't sail off just to see what i could see
i did some things that i wasn't really proud of
sometimes life just got the best of me
but i'd always think back to those days
and i know what grandmpa campbell would say
he'd say

you gotta live to learn
you gotta crash and burn
you gotta make some stances
and take some chances
you gotta live and love
and take all life has to give
you gotta live and learn
so you can learn to live

after years of running round and searching
i found me a woman who loves me just for me
all those mistakes i thought that i was making
led me right here to you sittin' on my knee
son as you walk through this life
here's a little wisdom that will help you get by

you gotta live to learn
you gotta crash and burn
you gotta make some stances
and take some chances
you gotta live and love
and take all life has to give
you gotta live and learn
you gotta live and learn
so you can learn to live
learn to live