Don't Fence Me In
Bing Crosby The Andrews Sisters Vic Schoen And His Orchestra Lyrics
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Don't fence me in
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love
Don't fence me in
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please
Don't fence me in
Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies
Don't fence me in
Let me ride through the wide country that I love
Don't fence me in
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please
Don't fence me in
Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise
Ba boo ba ba boo
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in
No
Poppa, don't you fence me in
The lyrics to Bing Crosby's "Don't Fence Me In" are a call for freedom and escape from the constraints of modern life. The singer longs for the open spaces of the western United States, where he can ride free without the interference of fences and boundaries. He speaks of the beauty of the natural world, taking solace in the stillness of the evening breeze and the rustling of the cottonwood trees. He yearns to be let loose, to ride his horse through the hills and mountains, to gaze at the moon till he loses his senses. The refrain, "Don't fence me in," is a plea for release, for the freedom to roam unencumbered across the land.
The song was written by Cole Porter and Robert Fletcher in 1934, but it wasn't until Bing Crosby recorded it in 1944 that it became a hit. Crosby's version captures the yearning in the singer's voice, as well as the emotions of a wartime audience that longed for escape from the realities of the day. The song's imagery evokes the cowboy culture of the American West, a precarious and romanticized time that was often mythologized in popular culture. "Don't Fence Me In" stands as an anthem for a simpler, freer way of life that was rapidly disappearing in the modern age.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above
I desire open land beneath the starry sky
Don't fence me in
Please avoid restricting my freedom
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love
Allow me to travel through the vast country I adore
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze
Permit me to enjoy the cool evening air alone
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Let me cherish the rustling of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please
Even in death, I request that I'm not restrained
Don't fence me in
Please avoid restricting my freedom
Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Allow me to ride freely on my saddle
Underneath the western skies
Beneath the vast western sky
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Let me explore freely on horseback
Till I see the mountains rise
Until I come across the beautiful sight of mountains rising in my view
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
I yearn to travel to the beginning of the western territory
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
I wish to stare at the moon until I'm completely absorbed in its beauty
And I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences
I cannot bear to look at small, humble dwellings, and fences are unbearable to me
Don't fence me in
Please avoid restricting my freedom
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies
I desire open land beneath the starry sky
Let me ride through the wide country that I love
Allow me to travel through the vast country I adore
Don't fence me in
Please avoid restricting my freedom
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze
Permit me to enjoy the cool evening air alone
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Let me cherish the rustling of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please
Even in death, I request that I'm not restrained
Don't fence me in
Please avoid restricting my freedom
Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Allow me to ride freely on my saddle
Underneath the western skies
Beneath the vast western sky
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Let me explore freely on horseback
Till I see the mountains rise
Until I come across the beautiful sight of mountains rising in my view
Ba boo ba ba boo
Indicating a musical interlude
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
I yearn to travel to the beginning of the western territory
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
I wish to stare at the moon until I'm completely absorbed in its beauty
And I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
I cannot bear to look at small, humble dwellings, and fences are unbearable to me
Don't fence me in
Please avoid restricting my freedom
No
No, Don't fence me in
Poppa, don't you fence me in
Father, please avoid restricting my freedom
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bugleboy4527
Best version of this Porter classic. Their voices are just perfect together
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@stefanschutz5166
Happy New Year from Amsterdam, Prof.
Keep up the good work.
@jimhilliker2450
Fantastic. This sounds so good for a record from 1947. Great arrangement and beautiful voices and harmony.
@rubygracemoseley8144
What an amazing iconic singing group. They are all talented by themselves but together they are amazing and so goood!
@tbsupratom7232
Christmas tracks may have introduced me to Bing Crosby, and Fallout may have made me listen to bing crosby more often, but Bonelab made me a fan and made him my favorite musician.
@bennygoodmanisgod
I feel like many people share a similar story. Welcome to the Bing Crosby fan club :)
@friendlysky7674
I have 2 copies of this particular record!
@markr.devereux2713
1945 top of charts
@02mgnm
Somewhere Ken Kesey is smiling. Final song in season finale of Ratched on Netflix
@jimhilliker2450
My mistake, from 1945. I don't know why I didn't see the year, but I see it now. Thanks for sharing this.