[Verse 1]

The red hot sun burns up the hill

The winter's bride, the summer's king

I tramp these acres and I feel

Once upon a time

And then it seemed that everything

You saw and touched and felt was real

You turned the tap and you turned the wheel

Breathing free

[Chorus]

Once in a lifetime, you live and love

Once in a lifetime, you die

Once in a moment, the sun goes down

Protect and survive

[Verse 2]

Now you search the open evening sky

Trace the memory in your eyes

For the prophet's hard rain and the deluge lie

In tears around your door

Once there were trees and livestock here

A mother's love, the warnings clear

But you chose to turn away from fear

Breathing free

[Chorus]

Once in a lifetime, you live and love

Once in a lifetime, you die

Once in a moment, the sun goes down

Protect and survive

[Verse 3: Donnie Munro & Calum Macdonald]

Now there's a faceless cross on a distant hill

A wasted voice and a silent scream

Where the lovers love and the dreamers dreamed

You stand and dream alone

You took your sacrifice to the gods of war

Traded your children's lives for a mess of gold

And you beat your ploughshares into swords

Breathing free

[Chorus]

Once in a lifetime, you live and love

Once in a lifetime, you die

Once in a moment, the sun goes down

Protect and survive

Once in a lifetime, you live and love

Once in a lifetime, you die

Once in a moment, the sun goes down

Protect and survive

Protect and survive

Protect and survive