Live Your Life
Steppenwolf Lyrics


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I was raised in the ruins, mama, 'till I was thirteen
Every day I heard the radio
Every night I had the same old dream
To sing a song, oh, baby, to watch my name in lights

If you want to see your dream come true
Honeychild, you gotta get right down and fight
Well I sailed cross the ocean, girl, I felt so all alone
Many times I thought about goin' right back home

But the Joy I found in song gave me the will to carry on
Live your life the way you want to
Don't let fools lead you astray
Live you dreams so you hold on to

All you need along the way
I was payin' my dues right here in the land of the free
All the time I learned to sing along
I could not speak and I could barely see

Still all the while I knew where I was at
But the people that believed in me
Lord, I could count them all in seconds flat
Well, someday I would be, I knew it all along

A gentleman of leisure, girl, right or wrong
And though my dream has come and gone
There's plenty more where those came from





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Steppenwolf's song "Live Your Life" are about the pursuit of dreams against all odds. The singer explains that he was raised in a difficult environment until he was thirteen years old. Despite his circumstances, he would listen to the radio and dream of singing a song and seeing his name in lights. However, he acknowledges that achieving your dreams requires fighting for them. He describes his own fight, which took him across an ocean, where he felt alone and thought about giving up. But, he found joy in singing and it gave him the strength to keep going. The chorus encourages listeners to live their lives the way they want to, not letting others lead them astray. The singer speaks of paying his dues and learning to sing, despite limitations in speech and sight. He faced doubters but believed in himself and knew he would succeed. Finally, he acknowledges that his dream has come and gone, but there are always more dreams to pursue.


Overall, the song is about the journey of achieving one's dreams, the obstacles that arise, and the need to stay true to oneself despite naysayers. It's a reminder to keep pushing forward and never give up on one's passions.


Line by Line Meaning

I was raised in the ruins, mama, 'till I was thirteen
I grew up in a difficult and impoverished environment until I was thirteen years old.


Every day I heard the radio
Every day, I listened to the radio and heard songs that inspired me.


Every night I had the same old dream
Every night, I dreamed of becoming a famous singer and having my name in lights.


To sing a song, oh, baby, to watch my name in lights
My ultimate dream was to become a singer and see my name in lights.


If you want to see your dream come true
If you want to achieve your goals and make your dream a reality,


Honeychild, you gotta get right down and fight
you need to be determined and persistent in working towards your dream.


Well I sailed cross the ocean, girl, I felt so all alone
I once traveled across the ocean and felt isolated and alone.


Many times I thought about goin' right back home
At times, I considered returning home because it was challenging being so far away.


But the joy I found in song gave me the will to carry on
However, my love of music and the happiness it brought me gave me the strength to keep going.


Live your life the way you want to
Live your life according to your own desires and values.


Don't let fools lead you astray
Don't allow people who don't understand your dreams to steer you in the wrong direction.


Live you dreams so you hold on to all you need along the way
Pursue your dreams so that you can access all the resources and support you need along the way.


I was payin' my dues right here in the land of the free
I worked hard to achieve my success in the United States, the land of the free.


All the time I learned to sing along
Throughout my journey to success, I continued to improve my singing skills.


I could not speak and I could barely see
Despite facing obstacles, I persevered and overcame barriers to achieve my dream.


Still all the while I knew where I was at
Throughout my struggles, I remained aware of my position and kept focused on my goals.


But the people that believed in me
The few people who believed in me and supported me throughout my journey,


Lord, I could count them all in seconds flat
I could count those supporters quickly and easily, but their impact was immeasurable.


Well, someday I would be, I knew it all along
Despite setbacks and challenges, I always knew that I would eventually achieve my dream of becoming a singer.


A gentleman of leisure, girl, right or wrong
Eventually, I was able to establish myself as a successful musician, but with that came new challenges and responsibilities.


And though my dream has come and gone
Although I have already achieved my ultimate dream of becoming a famous singer,


There's plenty more where those came from
There are always new dreams and goals to pursue, and I am not done striving towards them.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHN KAY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Philip Kassabian


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