The Neighbor's Fence

Lyrics

Verse 1

Every spring when the frost was gone
Dad would grab his gloves and wire
Head on down the south fence line
With pliers and a little fire

About halfway to the corner post
He'd stop and scratch his head
"Now I swear this fence was over there..."
Was all he ever said

Chorus

That neighbor's fence
Had a funny way of growin'
About a foot every single year
Without nobody knowin'

Dad would laugh and shake his head
Say, "Boys... now ain't that somethin' else?"
Funny how his pasture
Kept wanderin' into ours by itself

Verse 2

Old Mr. Wilson'd wave each mornin'
Like nothin' had ever changed
Bring us pie at Christmas time
Like the fence stayed in its lane

Dad'd say, "Morning!"
He'd say, "Howdy!"
Both grinnin' ear to ear
Then Dad would whisper,
"I'll be movin' that fence back...
Again...
This year."

Chorus

That neighbor's fence
Had a funny way of growin'
About a foot every single year
Without nobody knowin'

Dad would laugh and shake his head
Say, "Well, imagine that!"
"If it keeps on driftin' west,
We'll be ranchin' from his barn by fall."

Bridge

Never raised their voices
Never called each other names
Just two stubborn country fellas
Playin' the world's slowest game

Move it back...
Move it over...
Every season, same old dance
I'm still not sure
If they argued...
Or just enjoyed the chance

Final Chorus

That neighbor's fence
Still stands out there today
Dad still checks it every spring
Just in case it's walked away

And every time I help him now
He'll grin before we start
Say, "Keep an eye on Wilson...
He's been measurin' again after dark."

Yeah, some folks feud in courtrooms
Some write angry letters hence...

Around here...
We just keep movin'
The neighbor's fence.

(Spoken over a laughing fiddle outro)

"...Next year it'll probably be in the kitchen."