listen close, as close as I am to you  like the bell of liberty, I'll ring a sound that's true  and days go by and seasons too  in time our love may digress with the words we can renew  oh, i'll tell you that I  I love you by and by  I don't know if I'd survive  without a friend like you in my life  and I know words can be the worst to pervey  how it is I feel for you, it's hard for me to say  but if we keep it simple, I think it's better that way  tingled words tend to lead my messages astray  oh, i'll tell you that I  I love you by and by  I don't know if I'd survive  without a friend like you in my life  this web we weave  holds us hand in hand  and if we loosen our grips  we may weaken these strands  so lets reinforce our love and let it echo through the land  and if we don't we may find ourselves washed up with the sand  oh, i'll tell you that I  I love you by and by  I don't know if I'd survive  without a friend like you in my life