[Intro] The shop door sighed on its rusty hinge Dust made a halo in the lantern’s fringe There sat old Silas, pale as flour On the tractor seat at quarter past the hour [Verse 1] His boots went through the oil-stained floor His hat still hung where he’d hung it before He patted the hood with a see-through hand And said, “She’s the finest tractor in the land” [Chorus] Oh, he wishes he could mow again Cut neat green lines across the ranch till ten Ride past the barn and the water tank With the clippings piled up by the old feed bank But the engine won’t start for a ghostly guy So he sighs at the keys and gives the seat a try He’s the shop’s friendly phantom, making night rounds With a rattling chuckle and a soft “putt-putt” sound [Verse 2] At midnight he checks every belt and chain Though his fingers pass through the grease again He nudges a wrench; it rolls off the bench Then he laughs at the racket and gives it a clench The barn cat arches, then settles down Like, “You’re all right, Silas, just don’t haunt my food bowl” He watches the moon on the window glass And remembers the acres he used to pass [Chorus] Oh, he wishes he could mow again Cut neat green lines across the ranch till ten Ride past the barn and the water tank With the clippings piled up by the old feed bank But the engine won’t start for a ghostly guy So he sighs at the keys and gives the seat a try He’s the shop’s friendly phantom, making night rounds With a rattling chuckle and a soft “putt-putt” sound [Bridge] “Just one more pass, one straight clean row,” He tells the sleeping fields below The ranch hand leaves the keys one night And props the shop door open wide Silas climbs aboard, the old seat dips The starter gives a cough, then a couple of clicks He grins so wide the moon shines through Then gives the wheel a careful turn or two [Instrumental] [Verse 3] By dawn there’s a stripe through the clover patch And a fresh-cut path by the garden latch No tracks in the dirt, no hand on the wheel Just a little green ribbon, crisp and real The ranch hand looks up at the pale blue sky And hears from the shop, “Well, that’s one row nigh!” Silas parks her straight and tips his hat Then fades through the wall like a satisfied cat [Final Chorus] Oh, he got to mow again Cut one green line across the ranch before ten Past the barn and the water tank With the morning dew bright on the old feed bank Now the engine rests and the ghost rolls by With a grin in the glass and a wink in his eye He’s the shop’s friendly phantom, making night rounds With a rattling chuckle and a soft “putt-putt” sound [Outro] The shop door sighs on its rusty hinge A little cold breeze where the lanterns fringe If you hear “putt-putt” when the ranch goes still That’s Silas dreaming of one more hill
