Come out, Virginia, don't let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
Aw, but sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well will be the one

Well, they showed you a statue, told you to pray
They built you a temple and locked you away
Aw, but they never told you the price that you pay
For things that you might have done

Well, only the good die young
That's what I said
Only the good die young
Only the good die young

You mighta heard I run with a dangerous crowd
We ain't too pretty, we ain't too proud
We might be laughing a bit too loud
Aw, but that never hurt no one

So come on, Virginia, show me a sign
Send up a signal, I'll throw you the line
The stained-glass curtain you're hiding behind
Never let's in the sun

Darlin', only the good die young
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
I tell ya only the good die young
Only the good die young

You got a nice white dress and a party on your confirmation
You got a brand new soul
Mmm, and a cross of gold
But, Virginia, they didn't give you quite enough information
You didn't count on me
When you were counting on your rosary
Oh-whoa-whoa

And they say there's a heaven for those who will wait
Some say it's better, but I say it ain't
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun

You know that only the good die young, oh, baby
I tell ya only the good die young
Only the good die young

Said your mother told you all that I could give you was a reputation
Aw, she never cared for me
But did she ever say a prayer for me?
Oh-whoa-whoa

Come out, come out, come out, Virginia, don't let me wait
You Catholic girls start much too late
Sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well will be the one

You know that only the good die young
Tell you, baby
You know that only the good die young
Only the good die young
Only the good
Only the good die young

Ooh-ooh, ooh-hoo
Ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo
Ooh-ooh, ooh-hoo
Ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo
Ooh-ooh, ooh-hoo
Ooh-ooh-hoo-hoo
Only the good die young
Only the good die young


Lyrics submitted by kevin, edited by fewqacac, Irish Cowboy

Only the Good Die Young Lyrics as written by Billy Joel

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Capitol CMG Publishing

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Only The Good Die Young song meanings
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    General Comment

    Yeah it is more about sex, in my opinion. It's about anyone who follows blindly a teaching (I think specificially Joel uses religious doctrine) without looking beyond it ("the stained glass curtain you're hiding behind / never lets in the sun").

    It does have sexual overtones of course, but that is the beauty of the song- its many layers and ambiguous meanings :)

    carabiner86on May 10, 2003   Link

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