Never Was at All Lyrics

They say I'm getting older and my hair is turnin' grey,
They say I should be slowing down, give it all away.
Living like a gypsy doesn't bother me at all,
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at all'.
Now, I could've been a shearer and I could've been a vet,
Could've been a lot of things, of this much you can bet.
A man can sit there hangin' like a picture on the wall,
But I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at all'.

Oh, I'd sooner be 'has been' than a 'never was at all',
All my life I had a go, really had a ball.
If you don't climb the ladder, mate, then you can never fall,
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at all'.

[Instrumental]
When I look at that old suitcase and I think of how it was,
The bad times and the good times, hey, and we did it just because.
I know I had to try it and today I'm standing tall,
'Cause I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at all'.

Now, you won't reach the finish line if you don't ever start
You'll never live and you'll never love if you don't have a heart.
So don't just sit there whinging mate, it's no d*** good at all
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at all'.
Oh, I'd sooner be 'has been' than a 'never was at all',
Give it everything I'd got, really had a ball.
If you don't climb the ladder, mate, then you can never fall,
And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at all'.

And I'd sooner be a 'has been' than a 'never was at all'.
Oh laydee oh, laydee Oh, laydee

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From his album: "Looking Forward Looking Back"
Songwriters/Composers: Norman O'Hara Murphy