NEVER SAY DIE
Bon Jovi Jon Lyrics


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As we stood there older than men
And younger than the boys (that's right)
We were as still as the wind
That blows on a hot august night

And you were lonesome
As a jukebox
But deadly just the same
I could be as gentle as a newborn
Then spit into the eye of a hurricane

And we knew how to laugh
And we knew how to cry
Yeah, we sure knew how to live
But we don't ever

Never say die
Never say die

I guess you'd say we had a pact
These words we knew so well (that's right)
Still they remained unspoken
And we'd take them to the fiery
Gates of hell

Once i was afraid of love
But when it's your brother
Those things change
'cause love is just another word
For trust
So hear me when i say

Never say die
Never say no
You got to look them in the eye
And don't let go
When it's your own blood you'll bleed
And your own tears you'll cry
When you're brought up to believe
That it's the strong who survive
Never say die

Solo
Yeah, and we could run like lightning
Through the pouring rain
And we'll be standing like a soldier
Who comes marching home again

They ask what it is that i want written
On the gravestone where I'll lie
Tell them it's just my bones
That died there
So save the tears they'll cry

My spirit is still riding somewhere
Somewhere in this night
When it's these three words that come to me
As i kiss this world goodbye

Never say die
Never say no
You got to look them in the eye
And don't let go
When it's your own blood you'll bleed
And your own tears you'll cry
When you're brought up to believe




That it's the strong who survive
Never say die

Overall Meaning

In "Never Say Die", Jon Bon Jovi speaks about a bond between two men that goes beyond the bounds of friendship. The two men in this song are older than boys, but younger than men, which means they are in a transitional stage of life. In this transitional stage, they have learned to laugh and cry, and they have had their fair share of experiences in life. They are still full of vitality, but they have learned to embrace love and trust, especially towards each other. They have gone through all of life's ups and downs holding the hands of each other. Together, they've laughed and cried, lived through good times and bad times, but they will stand resolute and never say die. They don't fear death because they know that their spirits will continue to ride somewhere, somewhere in the night.


Bon Jovi emphasizes brotherhood and trust as vital principles in life. He believes that love goes beyond just affection between a couple of individuals, it is the bond that ties people together in a way that goes beyond understanding. The friends in the song had a pact that was so powerful that they never needed to say it out loud to understand it deeply in their hearts. Through the good and the bad, they stood strong together, and they only spilt each other's blood and cried each other's tears.


In conclusion, "Never Say Die" is an anthem of love, trust, and brotherhood. It stresses on how men, during different phases of life, build a bond through shared experiences, and trust that they place in each other. This song is about holding onto that bond no matter what, and it's an anthem for those who hold brotherhood in the highest regard.


Line by Line Meaning

As we stood there older than men
We had experienced a lot in our long lives and were wise with age.


And younger than the boys (that's right)
But we still retained a youthful spirit and outlook on life.


We were as still as the wind
Although we were calm and composed, we had a strong inner strength and energy just like a breeze on a warm summer night.


That blows on a hot august night
Our energy and strength may have been hidden and unnoticed like a gentle breeze on a hot summer night.


And you were lonesome
You appeared alone and lonely like a deserted jukebox.


As a jukebox
But you still had the power to affect people with your music and presence, just like a jukebox.


But deadly just the same
Despite your loneliness, you could still cause great change and destruction just like a powerful weapon.


I could be as gentle as a newborn
I had the ability to be gentle and caring like a baby.


Then spit into the eye of a hurricane
But I could also be fiercely brave and confront any obstacle or danger with great power and force.


And we knew how to laugh
We knew how to enjoy and find humor in life.


And we knew how to cry
But we also knew when to be emotional and show sadness and sympathy.


Yeah, we sure knew how to live
Overall, we had a great understanding of what it meant to truly live and experience life to the fullest.


But we don't ever
We will never let our spirits die or give up hope despite hardships and challenges.


Never say die
We will never give up and choose to face life's challenges with bravery and perseverance.


I guess you'd say we had a pact
We had an unspoken understanding and agreement with each other on how to approach life.


These words we knew so well (that's right)
Our shared beliefs were familiar to us and we were confident in them.


Still they remained unspoken
We didn't need to articulate our agreement - it was just naturally understood between us.


And we'd take them to the fiery
We would continue to uphold our pact even in difficult and challenging situations that felt like fire.


Gates of hell
Our pact was so strong that we could endure any situation, even those that felt like the fiery gates of hell.


Once i was afraid of love
I used to be scared and hesitant to give and receive love.


But when it's your brother
But when it comes to my family, my view on love changed.


Those things change
Family bonds can change your perspective on many things, including love.


'cause love is just another word
Love can have many different meanings and ways of expression.


For trust
But ultimately, love is built on a foundation of trust and connection.


So hear me when i say
I want to emphasize how important this message is to me.


Never say no
Don't let fear or rejection stop you from achieving your goals and dreams.


You got to look them in the eye
Be bold and confident when facing challenges and don't back down.


And don't let go
Hold on to your hopes and dreams even when the going gets tough.


When it's your own blood you'll bleed
Family bonds may require great sacrifice and commitment, even to the point of risking injury or pain.


And your own tears you'll cry
We will experience great emotional pain and struggle for those that we love.


When you're brought up to believe
Our upbringing and culture can instill certain values and beliefs in us.


That it's the strong who survive
One such belief is that strength and courage are necessary for survival and success.


Solo
Musical interlude.


Yeah, and we could run like lightning
We had great strength and endurance.


Through the pouring rain
We could overcome any obstacle or adversity.


And we'll be standing like a soldier
We will face our challenges with bravery and fortitude.


Who comes marching home again
Our resilience will help us return safely to our loved ones.


They ask what it is that i want written
People may ask what you want your legacy to be after you die.


On the gravestone where I'll lie
This refers to the idea of one's death and burial.


Tell them it's just my bones
But in the end, our physical body will only be a shell and our spirit will go on.


That died there
Only our physical bodies will die, not our spirit or legacy.


So save the tears they'll cry
Don't mourn or grieve too deeply for me, as I will continue to live on in spirit.


My spirit is still riding somewhere
Our spirit and energy will continue on even after our physical bodies have died.


Somewhere in this night
Our energy may be felt and experienced in unexpected and mysterious ways after death.


When it's these three words that come to me
In the end, what matters most is our legacy and the impact we have on others.


As i kiss this world goodbye
This phrase signifies the end of the singer's life and his release into the next realm.


Never say die
Emphasizes the importance of always persevering and never giving up hope in life.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JON BON JOVI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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