TSOL - "You Don't Have To Die"

This is my favorite TSOL song. I can't believe that it wasn't included on any album.
Lyrics:
It's 1980 and things aren't so steady
Now you got four years to live
Are you going to be
The next one standing in the draft
Line
Well you better say your prayers son
Cause it's now or never
You don't have to be
Their puppet boy
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DIE
Sooner or later, you'll give, it a try
It's now or never, think of something to do with your life.

[@jakobsorensen__]

this is my favorite T.S.O.L. song. i first heard it on Nitro Records compilation "The Thought Remains The Same" from 2000. I always wondered why they decided not to include it on "Dance With Me", as this demo tape was recorded only a year prior to the LP. It's a great song, love Jack's attempt at an English accent.

[@roaringlion1977]

That's how I heard this song too! Should of been on the first ep!

[@brycemcgarrity2442]

That comp was 97 or 98 I bought it in 8th grade and it was another two years til y2k

[@spayspay]

Total agree.

[@screamingatawallpodcast]

Dude! Yes, I heard this song on that comp too, while I was in the clink. I chose to cover this song and couldn’t find it anywhere! Thanks for uploading ! Such a great bass line.

[@screamingatawallpodcast]

Dude! Yes, I heard this song on that comp too, while I was in the clink. I chose to cover this song and couldn’t find it anywhere! Sand this song in prison to an audience! Crazy!

[@Brewzerr]

Jack’s faux-English accent on this cracks me up. I remember how a lot of early American punk bands had singers who tried to sound English. Jack even jokes about it now.

[@AKAMUSICkeepit100]

I was raised on this music, and proud of it.

[@tyson9419]

And yet no one cares

[@goonlander]

I learned this song for one of my friends using a tab. Never actually listened to it until now. I mostly listen to thrash or death metal but I have to admit this song has an insanely cool riff. Very thankful she asked me to learn it!

[@BUDDYLEEJUNIOR]

Agreed. I sat around with my finger on the pause button to get this offa Rodney back then. Glad it's easy to hear now

[@darinvint4495]

Ah… the EXACT thing I did in 1980

[@bozo47p]

free radio is dead to me...they never play tunes like this....except maybe college radio ...thanks to you tube a young soul can explore the past in art and music...what a treat

[@vonhenchy3035]

college radio isn't what it used to be..bunch of idiots these days.

[@cl0wner162]

Great, great, great tune.

[@jahblessin3996]

Still listening decades later

[@seabasssimpson4547]

That time Jack Greggors was a dandy Englishman. "Oi Guvnor, fancy bein' a puppet boy?"

[@zerocool1ist]

best track i have heard this year

[@libertysounds87]

one of my favs as well👍

[@aupsychobilly]

What a waste...shoulda been released on Ep...and Darker My Love shoulda been released on Beneath the Shadows. Thanks for the post.

[@tergrazgaard2772]

Jack was addmitetly on drugs and dealiing with emotinal, violent dysfunction.....but managed to convey truths unseen in the American general public and military...despite your condition , some songs were TSOL

[@vonhenchy3035]

He's been Sober for over 25 years..

[@estadolaikoband363]

It's now or never to think something to do with your life

[@sciexp]

Thanks for sharing... Really good...

[@spayspay]

Isn't it? I think it's their best. Seriously. It should have been included on the TSOL EP.

[@spayspay]

This song doesn't sound ANYTHING like "Code Blue". What are you people talking about? Listen to the two back to back.

[@Freeze-Dried-Ray-Gun]

They're talking about the chorus. The melody sounds similar.

[@jennifermjma588]

@@Freeze-Dried-Ray-Gun it had nothing to do with Code Blue and Jack was and is not a necrophiliac.

[@Freeze-Dried-Ray-Gun]

Jennifer M JMa What are you even talking about? I never said he was and the melody sounds similar. That's all I said.

[@jon-erich9752]

They eventually included this on one of the Nitro Records compilations.

[@oldmanwinter9345]

And it was a GREAT addition to the comp. I love the nitro comps!

[@Gorgosaure]

@spayspay Actually, it was officially released only once, it appears on the German version of the 'Thoughts of Yesterday' comp. CD (1994). The demo version of '80 Times' was also included.

[@savgre9400]

Thoughts of Yesterday my fav

[@vonhenchy3035]

@@savgre9400 - some cool surf style. You need to check out the "Rat Music for Rat People" the first. All Live - great stuff from many. The surf sound on that TSOL song is fantastic...great EP

[@BrognorLightbringer]

It's awesome! My favourite is Abolish Government but this should definitely be in the EP...

[@vonhenchy3035]

this is a 7" EP...kinda rare..picked one up in Fullerton for $40 bucks..Black hole is a bit pricey.

[@Brewzerr]

Von Henchy - It’s a bootleg though, not an actual official EP. i got this back in the early 90’s, and mine has a blank label... like most bootlegs do. When I saw the Joykiller in ‘94 I brought it with me to the gig for Jack and Ron to sign... and Ron was not pleased that it had been released. He signed it anyway, but I clearly remember both Jack and Ron telling me it was released without their consent.

[@springchickena1]

we're never leaving the dumpsters our home

[@Aixber_X]

Offspring inspired in this

[@CCfsu84]

Hopefully everyone bought the "You Don't Have To Die" EP on RSD (black) or from TKO (clear and/or test press, possibly still available). Great song, I hadn't heard it until today. The live B-side is decent, vocals are hard to hear though. Still a great EP for this song alone.

[@Brewzerr]

I got mine in either 1992 or ‘93... and it’s a bootleg with the blank label. To my knowledge, that was the only form this was a available in at that time. Was it reissued on an actual label later on? I had no idea.

[@georgb6175]

Bob Emory (Ron’s brother) wrote this one

[@bobbyrichardson6251]

Almost sounds like I say your mommy by Suicidal Tendencies

[@CrudeAndPreposterous]

first demo --> weathered statues all kicks heavy ass

[@MikeIXWilliams]

This whole demo is great.. I can kinda see how this song may have evolved into Code Blue.. I wanna hear the Vicious Circle LP demos...

[@vonhenchy3035]

I have the re-released and limited Vicious Circle LP..It's pretty good.

[@themadhotwheelscollectoral6480]

Doesn’t the Guitar song the germs manimal a little

[@Stryker37573]

did anyone know that Vicious Circle was a punk rock supergroup made up of Mike Ness, Jack Grisham, Steve Soto, and Casey Royer???

[@vonhenchy3035]

Not the deal..did CNN tell you that?

[@Brewzerr]

Stryker37573 - You’re talking out of your neck, pal. That never happened.

[@jennifermjma588]

LOL Styker is clueless. Jack, Mike, Ron and Todd. @@vonhenchy3035

[@lennyrep9570]

uploader said this isnt on any album. the picture above in the video is the album its on, 4 song ep. called 1980 demos.

[@vonhenchy3035]

It's a 7" EP that is real and tangible.

[@spayspay]

That's not a real album.

[@CrudeAndPreposterous]

just noticed this riff sounds kinda like the opening bass on alice cooper "dead babies"

[@lucarealini9813]

my preferite punk band...gothic punk...not posers..

[@jamesmedina6277]

sooner or later youll give it a try

[@themadhotwheelscollectoral6480]

It's 1980 and things arn't so steady, Now you've got four years to live. Are you going to be the next one standing in the draft line? Well you better say your prayers son, Because it's now or never. You don't have to be their puppet boy, You don't have to die. Sooner or later you'll give it a try. It's now or never to think of something to do with your life. Sooner or later you'll give it a try. It's now or never to think of something to do with your life. It's 1980 and things arn't so steady, Now you've got four years to live. Are you going to be the next one standing in the draft line? Well you better say your prayers son, Because it's now or never. You don't have to be their puppet boy, You don't have to die! Sooner or later you'll give it a try. It's now or never to think of something to do with your life. Sooner or later you'll give it a try. It's now or never to think of something to do with your life.

[@spayspay]

Standing in the draft line.

[@themadhotwheelscollectoral6480]

Spay Spay ok thanks I’ll change it

[@rickhorror]

joe did a handful of good songs all of jacks stuff was golden even in tender fury :p

[@8gerrard8]

a link to download this album? i need it

[@lukewalter8987]

working on a cover of this

[@Brewzerr]

My old band from the mid 90’s used to cover this. However I couldn’t bring myself to sing it with the faux-British accent.

[@BYgrower]

Is that ron singing? hmmm upon further listening I hear jack

[@friend_xtra]

it could be because this became Code Blue. VERY similar.

[@Brewzerr]

This did *NOT* become ‘Code Blue’. It has some vague similarities to Code Blue, but Jack himself told me they dropped this song from their set completely very early on.

[@dieusonoctave9322]

play at 1.25 speed if you have the balls

[@SeanWatsonR]

Love the song, but why is Jack faking a British accent?

[@SeanWatsonR]

Ha,interesting, that makes sense.

[@vonhenchy3035]

There is no fake British accent.

[@Brewzerr]

I talked to Jack about this once. He totally admitted that’s what he was doing back then. A lot of American punk bands who were just starting out in the late 70’s had singers who copped an affected British accent. UK punk was heavily influencing suburban upstart American punk bands who were still in their ‘garage’ phase. Obviously this was before TSOL had a proper release out yet. Jack even jokes about it now. He told me that he basically worshipped the Damned at this time, and in his youthful cluelessness he thought singing with an accent would be a fitting tribute to his hero, Dave Vanian... who ironically enough was one of the few UK punk singers who tried to sound American.

[@jennifermjma588]

he's not faking an accent.

[@Soundeagle3456]

hey can we stop calling it a British accent, lets be mature and call it for what it is it's upper class central London accent that teleprompters and News host use. You don't see Scottish people use that accent then why call it British?

[@scottymcscott8742]

omg pretending to be britbong.

[@Brewzerr]

Wtf is ‘britbong’?

[@Soundeagle3456]

still the average american then had a higher chance of being drafted then a brit, so you brits are just projecting, the last time a brit was drafted without question was the second world war, and no the Falklands wars don't count.