Sprague is a Christian contemporary music artist. He is the winner of four … Read Full Bio ↴Sprague is a Christian contemporary music artist. He is the winner of four Dove Awards, and has written songs recorded by many well-known Christian artists, toured with Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, and recorded six albums. He holds a B.A. in English from Texas Christian University and is currently a songwriter, publisher, seminar speaker/teacher, and performer.

What A Way To Go
Billy Sprague Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Billy Sprague – What a Way to Go

The radio news said he was 22
Another case of “the good die young”
Life can be so unkind
Everybody gotta go sometime
But I won’t be sad when this life is done
‘Cuz when it comes for me

I know I will be with the One who has given His life for me
And we’ll be face to face as our hearts embrace
There’ll be loving and laughter in the hereafter

Chorus:
I know I gotta die, but brother, what a way to go
Living in a mansion, walking down those streets of gold
I’ll be living in a land where love never gets old
I know I gotta die, but brother, what a way to go
What a way to go

When you hear I’m gone, don’t cry for too long
You’ve got to remember this is not my home
So, don’t take it as bad news, put on your dancing shoes
You know that I’m ready when I have to go
‘Cuz when He comes for me
I will finally be with the One who has given His life for me
And we’ll be face to face as our hearts embrace
There’ll be loving and laughter in the hereafter

Interlude
What a way to go…..Chorus

Overall Meaning

The song "What a Way to Go" by Billy Sprague is a reflective and hopeful song about the inevitability of death. The lyrics start by talking about a 22-year-old who has passed away, and how life can be so unkind. However, the song takes a positive turn when the singer reflects on his own mortality, stating that he won't be sad when his life is done because he knows he will be with the One who has given His life for him. The "One" in this song is likely referring to God or Jesus, and the song speaks to the singer's faith and belief in an afterlife where there will be "loving and laughter."

The chorus of the song emphasizes the positive aspects of death, with the singer singing about living in a mansion and walking down streets of gold in the afterlife. He sees death as a transition to a place where love never gets old. The song encourages listeners not to mourn for too long when someone they know passes away, as this life is not our home and we should prepare ourselves for our own eventual death. In the end, the singer expresses a sense of excitement for what awaits him in the afterlife, calling it "what a way to go."

Overall, "What a Way to Go" is a song that speaks to the Christian belief in an afterlife and the hope and peace that it brings. The lyrics suggest that while death can be sad and difficult, there is a greater purpose and meaning behind it, and that a better life awaits us beyond this one.

Line by Line Meaning

The radio news said he was 22
The news reported that someone died young at the age of 22

Another case of “the good die young”
The common saying of good people dying young

Life can be so unkind
Life can be difficult and unfair

Everybody gotta go sometime
Everyone will pass away eventually

But I won’t be sad when this life is done
The artist will not be unhappy when their life comes to an end

‘Cuz when it comes for me
When the singer's time comes to pass away

I know I will be with the One who has given His life for me
The singer believes they will be reunited with God after they die

And we’ll be face to face as our hearts embrace
The artist and God will meet and have a joyous reunion

There’ll be loving and laughter in the hereafter
The afterlife will be filled with love and happiness

I know I gotta die, but brother, what a way to go
The artist acknowledges that death is inevitable, but looks forward to their afterlife with excitement

Living in a mansion, walking down those streets of gold
The singer imagines the afterlife as a place of luxury and beauty

I’ll be living in a land where love never gets old
The afterlife will be a place of eternal love and happiness

When you hear I’m gone, don’t cry for too long
The singer does not want their loved ones to mourn for too long

You’ve got to remember this is not my home
The singer reminds their loved ones that the afterlife is their true home

So, don’t take it as bad news, put on your dancing shoes
The singer wants their loved ones to celebrate their afterlife instead of being sad

‘Cuz when He comes for me
When God comes for the artist's soul after their death

I will finally be with the One who has given His life for me
The artist believes they will be reunited with God in the afterlife

Interlude
Musical interlude

What a way to go…..Chorus
Reiteration of the chorus melody

Contributed by Abigail D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS