Good Boy, Sleep Good

[intro]
Soft strings, a hum, the screen door's creak

[verse 1]
You met me at the mailbox every day at four
Trotting down the gravel like you'd won a war
Fourteen summers underneath that porch
You never chased a thing you couldn't catch

[verse 2]
You slept through every thunderstorm on my oldest coat
Stole the Sunday leftovers, never begged, just hoped
Grayer round the muzzle, slower up the stairs
But your tail still told me somebody still cared

[chorus]
You grew old the good way, gray and proud
Snoring in the sunlight, singing with the crowd
Never lost your wonder at the kitchen door
Fourteen happy years, could not ask for more
You died old and happy, that's how it should be
The best dog that ever slept at the foot of me

[verse 3]
Last week you barely lifted up your grizzled head
But you smiled when I whispered, "Time for bed"
And you followed me one last time down the hall
Like you'd been waiting for me to make that call

[chorus]
You grew old the good way, gray and proud
Snoring in the sunlight, singing with the crowd
Never lost your wonder at the kitchen door
Fourteen happy years, could not ask for more
You died old and happy, that's how it should be
The best dog that ever slept at the foot of me

[bridge]
There's a worn spot on the floorboard
Shaped just like a sleeping dog
I won't cover it, I won't sand it down
It's the only photograph of you I've got

[chorus]
You grew old the good way, gray and proud
Snoring in the sunlight, singing with the crowd
Never lost your wonder at the kitchen door
Fourteen happy years, could not ask for more

[outro]
You died old and happy, on your favorite quilt
The screen door's still creaking
I guess some habits are hard to tilt
Good boy, good boy
Sleep good