Early morning by the riverside,
Saw an old man waiting for a bite,
We started talking and he took me back in time.

He said I was young, and thought I'd always be,
Then I woke up, now I'm 83
There's so much I missed, oh how I wish
I could get back all that time I wasted.

I see the tears of a young bride
The morning that we had our first fight.
I should've held her tight.
And on the day that my momma died,
I hung up the phone and never said goodbye.

Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on by.

Well, he looked up, tears in his eyes.
Said I'm not sure if you were looking for advice.
There's just something about you that reminds me of me.

It ain't easy always looking back,
But it seems these days that it's all I have.
What hurts me the most is knowing what could have been,
And if I listen real close sometimes I can

Hear the sound of my little boy
Saying, daddy can you please come play with me'
But I was too busy.
Then one day, my baby grew up and went to war.
I never thought he'd be gone in the blink of an eye.

So don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on by.

I shook the old man's hand and I thanked him.
And I drove home as fast as I could go.
Just to let her know...
That I need her,
That I love her,
That I'm never gonna let another moment like this slip on by.
Don't let it slip on by.

We're only here for a little while,
And God gives us only so much precious time.

So don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on,
Don't let it slip on by.
Don't let it slip on by.