I'm just a city boy
But there's a small town side to me
And I feel it closin' in
Are we too blind to see
That she's dyin' more each day
And she's cryin' out to you and me
Chances come and when they're gone
They curse the fool who waits too long
So let's take care of what we have
Before the good we know goes bad
And the beauty fades and just slips away
The dirty air, the dyin' seas
Will this be the world we leave to the wild and young
And say "Just look at what we've done"
And right before our eyes
Today's yesterday could be tomorrow's goodbye
Here comes the rain
It might wash her tears away
But it doesn't change a thing
Like my brother 1 before me
All I can do is write this song
And for her I sing 2
Chances come and when they're gone
They carve in stone what we've done wrong
So let's take care of what we have
Before the good we know goes bad
And the beauty fades and just slips away
The dirty air, the dyin' seas
Will this be the world we leave to the wild and young
And say "Just look at what we've done"
And right before our eyes
Today's yesterday could be tomorrow's goodbye
Do you ever think about
The future or the past?
Do you ever wonder
How long this world will last?
So let's take care of what we have
Before the good we know goes bad
And the beauty fades and just slips away
The dirty air, the dyin' seas
Will this be the world we leave to the wild and young
And say "Just look at what we've done"
And right before our eyes
Now it's right before our eyes
Today's yesterday will be tomorrow's goodbye
1. Most likely referring to Ronnie Van Zant, co-founder of Lynyrd Skynyrd and older brother of Johnny Van Zant (singer and co-author of this song). Ronnie died aged 29 in a tragic accident known as the “Skynyrd Plane Crash”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_Convair_CV-240_crash2. Right after this line you can hear three tones played on a guitar. Those sound like a bird’s call and remind of the song “Freebird” from the first album by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ronnie Van Zant wrote and sang that song which is about loving, leaving, and about “this bird” that cannot change.