And when I die and when I'm dead, dead and gone,
there'll be one child born and a world to carry on, to carry on.

I'm not scared of dying and I don't really care.
If it's peace you find in dying, well, then let the time be near.
If it's peace you find in dying, when dying time is here,
just bundle up my coffin cause it's cold way down there,
I hear that's it's cold way down there, yeah, crazy cold way down there.
And when I die and when I'm gone,
there'll be one child born and a world to carry on, to carry on.

My troubles are many, they're as deep as a well.
I can swear there ain't no heaven but I pray there ain't no hell.
Swear there ain't no heaven and pray there ain't no hell,
but I'll never know by living, only my dying will tell,
only my dying will tell, yeah, only my dying will tell.
And when I die and when I'm gone,
there'll be one child born and a world to carry on, to carry on.

Give me my freedom for as long as I be.
All I ask of living is to have no chains on me.
All I ask of living is to have no chains on me,
and all I ask of dying is to go naturally, only want to go naturally.
Don't want to go by the devil, don't want to go by the demon,
don't want to go by Satan, don't want to die uneasy,
just let me go naturally.
And when I die and when I'm gone,
there'll be one child born, there'll be one child born.
When I die, there'll be one child born.
When I die, there'll be one child born.
When I die, there'll be one child born.
When I die, there'll be one child born.


Lyrics submitted by kienholzfan

And When I Die Lyrics as written by Laura Nyro

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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And When I Die song meanings
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4 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    The first line is missing from these lyrics which should read "I'm not scared of dyin'."

    It's an amazing song though. The last stanza has to be my favorite.

    just_old_lighton November 11, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    GREAT song. Her best? Maybe, imo. BS&T cover is equally as awesome.

    blackled222on December 08, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I know that each song can be from the perspective of a different person, but here she's sure that heaven doesn't exist, while she obviously knows it does exist in Stoned Soul Picnic.

    epiwooshon June 20, 2019   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    Is the last line correct? I thought it was 'There'll be one child born in this world to carry on'.

    fnnkybutton September 10, 2008   Link

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