Sometimes it’s too cold to go outside and build a fence, or there’s a hurricane or flood or some other act of God that keeps us from doing what we love best. So what do your friends at Buzz do then? We stay inside and listen to our favorite songs about fences. Between iTunes, YouTube and our vinyl and CD collections, it’s possible to hear all our fence favorites and even discover new ones. Here are a few we think our customers might like.
Don’t Fence Me In
This song has got to be the most famous on about fences and has been recorded by dozens of stars. Roy Rogers’ version is especially well-loved. We never tire of this old snippet from the 1944 film Hollywood Canteen, especially since it co-stars his dancing horse Trigger, whom he rides through a crowded club.
Cole Porter penned initially “Don’t Fence Me In” for a musical that never got made. The Andrews Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby and David Byrne all recorded it, to name just a few.
The best lines:
“Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above
Don’t fence me in
Let me ride through the wild open country that I love
Don’t fence me in”
Sittin’ on The Fence
This George Strait song is a classic country number about a guy sitting on a barstool, thinking about a woman. In this case, he’s trying to make up his mind if he should stick with her or not. He describes her body as soft and smooth and her heart to match. But if you know anything about country music, he might still run after some black-hearted Jezebel who will inspire more songs, instead of settling down with this sweet female. Alas, the song ends, and we never find out.
The best lines:
“Sittin’ on a stool, sittin’ on the fence
Tryin’ to play it cool, tryin’ to talk some sense”
I’m Just Sitting on a Fence
Not the Rolling Stones’ most famous song, but certainly their best, as the whole song takes place on a fence. While the 1967 Stones album Flowers considerably predates George Strait’s song, the concept and lyrics are remarkably similar. Mick, too, is sitting on the proverbial fence, trying to decide whether or not to settle down.
Best lines:
“I’m just sittin’ on a fence
You can say I got no sense
Trying to make up my mind
Really is too horrifying
So I’m sittin’ on a fence”
Build a Big Fence
Now that we come to a fence song by a woman, we start to understand why the guys were so nervous. Instead of worrying about being fenced in, or sitting on a fence, Brenda Lee’s 1959 song is about building a fence around her man, trapping him just for herself. It’s a love song. Maybe a bit possessive, but catchy.
Best lines:
“Gonna build a big fence…
I’ll gonna build this fence up to the sky just for me and my little sugar pie
Gonna build a big fence around my baby so they can’t steal him away from me”
Picket Fences
Indie band Hawthorne Heights’ song “Picket Fences” from their 2010 album Skeleton is a little harder to understand than some of our favorites.
Here are a few lyrics:
“The places I remember are getting worn and withered
My heart’s the picket fences and needs a little mending
am I not everything you thought I should be?”
We’re not sure what’s wrong with this guy’s heart, but we’re always pleased with people who tend to their fences. Heck, some folks don’t even notice when their fence needs mending. And at Buzz, that breaks our hearts.
So many songs!
If you’ve never explored this topic before, you might be surprised to discover how many songs there are about fences. But it really shouldn’t come as a shock. Fences are essential literally – to protect our property – and figuratively, as metaphors and psychological boundaries. If these tunes have got you thinking about your fence needs, give your friends at Buzz a call. The bad weather has probably passed by now, and we’re ready to turn off our stereo and get back to work.
