Lance's Song
Zac Brown Band Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Doing what you love has a high price to pay
Some put on a suit, but he ran the other way
Drums drown out the yuppies
And the ones who couldn't dream
'Cause the freedom music gave him was worth more than anything

They don't know
What they got
Until it's gone
Like it or not
You live on love
You try to do what's right
We're all here waiting for our silver invitation
To the big band in the sky

Rollin' down the windows
Trying hard to fight the sleep
Money's never much for a band in Tennessee
Another night of playin'
To a crowd with no ears
Wanna hear the songs they know
And fill their bellies full of beer

But they don't know
What they got
Until it's gone
Like it or not
You live on love
You try to do what's right
We're all here waiting for our silver invitation
To the big band in the sky

And when he closed his eyes
Fell into a dream that never dies
And when the thunder comes
You can hear his kick drum in the sky
Feel the rain
Fall from our eyes

'Cause we don't know
What we got
Until it's gone
Like it or not
You live on love
You try to do what's right
For him there's no more waiting
Got his silver invitation




To do a little playing
For the big band in the sky

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Zac Brown Band's song "Lance's Song" tell the story of a musician who gave his life to playing music despite the cost. The song speaks to the idea of doing what you love, regardless of what others may think, and the sacrifices that come with following a passion. The opening lines say "Doing what you love has a high price to pay, some put on a suit, but he ran the other way." Lance was the musician who chose to play music over pursuing a traditional career path. The song goes on to talk about the difficulties of being a musician, "Money's never much for a band in Tennessee, another night of playing to a crowd with no ears, wanna hear the songs they know and fill their bellies full of beer."


The chorus of the song emphasizes the theme of not knowing what you have until it's gone. The line "You live on love, you try to do what's right" emphasizes the idea that pursuing your dreams may be difficult, but it's important to stay true to yourself, regardless. The lyric "we're all here waiting for our silver invitation to the big band in the sky" brings a spiritual element to the song and suggests that Lance has passed away and is playing music in heaven.


Overall, "Lance's Song" is a tribute to musicians who choose to follow their passions and play music, despite the difficulties that come with that lifestyle. The song emphasizes the importance of doing what you love, even when it's not easy.


Line by Line Meaning

Doing what you love has a high price to pa
Pursuing a passion comes with sacrifices


Some put on a suit, but he ran the other way
Choosing to follow music instead of a traditional career path


Drums drown out the yuppies
Music has the power to drown out mundane life and societal pressures


And the ones who couldn't dream
Music gives hope and a dream to those who may not have had one


'Cause the freedom music gave him was worth more than anything
The freedom that music provided was priceless to him


They don't know
Many people don't understand


What they got
The valuable things in their lives


Until it's gone
Until they lose it


Like it or not
Whether they accept it or not


You live on love
Living for what you are passionate about


You try to do what's right
The struggle to do what is right for oneself


We're all here waiting for our silver invitation
Waiting for a chance to fulfill our dreams


To the big band in the sky
To experience the ultimate fulfillment of music


Rollin' down the windows
Driving with the windows down


Trying hard to fight the sleep
Struggling to stay awake


Money's never much for a band in Tennessee
Financial struggles of musicians in certain places


Another night of playin'
Endless nights of performing


To a crowd with no ears
Playing to an unresponsive audience


Wanna hear the songs they know
Audiences want to hear familiar songs


And fill their bellies full of beer
Drinking and enjoying oneself with music


And when he closed his eyes
In his final moments


Fell into a dream that never dies
Passing away while still dreaming


And when the thunder comes
When the end approaches


You can hear his kick drum in the sky
Leaving a legacy of music


Feel the rain
Emotions are raw


Fall from our eyes
Crying in grief


'Cause we don't know
People often don't realize


For him there's no more waiting
He's finally achieved his dream


Got his silver invitation
Has achieved the ultimate fulfillment and reward


To do a little playing
To continue making music even after passing away


For the big band in the sky
To continue making music in the afterlife




Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NIC COWAN, ZACHRY ALEXANDER BROWN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Shawn Long


on Toes

i just love your music i like them all very nice music keep it going

More Versions