they passed an ordinance in the town
they said we’d have to tear it down
that little old shack out back
so dear to me
though the health department said
it’s day was over and dead
it will stand forever in my memory
don’t let ’em tear that
little brown building down
don’t let ’em tear that
precious building down
don’t let ’em tear that
little brown building down
for there’s not another like it
in the country or the town
it was not so long ago that
i went tripping through the snow
out to that house behind
my old hound dog
where i’d sit me down to rest
like a snowbird on his nest
and read the sears and roebuck catalog
i would hum a happy tune
peeping through the quarter moon
as my daddy’s kin had done before
it was in that quiet spot
daily cares could be forgot
it gave the same relief
to rich and poor
don’t let ’em tear that
little brown building down
don’t let ’em tear that
precious building down
don’t let ’em tear that
little brown building down
for there’s not another like it
in the country or the town
now it was not a castle fair
but i could dream my future there
and build my castles to
the yellow jacket’s drone
i could orbit around the sun
fight with general washington
or be a king upon a golden throne
it wasn’t fancy built at all
it had newspapers on the wall
it was air conditioned
in the wintertime
it was just a humble hut
but it’s door was never shut
and a man could get inside
without a dime
don’t let ’em tear that
little brown building down
don’t let ’em tear that
precious building down
don’t let ’em tear that
little brown building down
for there’s not another like it
in the country or the town
Artist: Billy Edd Wheeler
Year: 1965
Decade: 60s
Language: en
Word Count: 165