For sale by owner sign on Highway 59 A signal of the times, a turning of the page There used to be nothing here But that nothing disappeared The pond, the barn, the farm, the fields have long since been replaced Asphalt parking where that ten pew, Pentecostal stood Fast food, four lanes, and a subdivided neighborhood The walls of the world are closin' in The spreadin' city spreads us thin We can't seem to make our ends meet the black Never would've thought it wouldn't last A way of life that time moved past What I wouldn't give to have the back 40 back Maybe I'm a sucker for knowing who lives next door A view from my back porch, a pinch of peace and quiet I can't get back the used to bes So I hang on to the memories Of when I could still look up and see the stars not street lights shining The walls of the world are closin' in The spreadin' city spreads us thin We can't seem to make our ends meet in the black Never would've thought it wouldn't last A way of life that time moved past What I wouldn't give to have the back 40 back Now I get that progress has its place And no regard for what it takes Wish it would slow its pace, and cut us all some slack 'Cause it's all changing way too fast A way of life that time moved past What I wouldn't give to have the back 40 back