The greatest man I never knew
Lived just down the hall
And everyday we said hello
But never touched at all
He was in his paper
I was in my room
How was I to know he thought I hung the moon [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/r/reba_mcentire/the_greatest_man_i_never_knew.html ]
The greatest man I never knew
Came home late every night
He never had too much to say
Too much was on his mind
I never really knew him
And now it seems so sad
Everything he gave to us took all he had
Then the days turned into years
And the memories to black and white
He grew cold like an old winter wind
Blowing across my life
The greatest words I never heard
I guess I'll never hear
The man I thought could never die
S'been dead almost a year
He was good at business
But there was business left to do
He never said he loved me
Guess he thought I knew
I think this is about a little girls relationship with her father. His room was right down the hallway from hers. He came home late everynite. He probably worked all the time just to support his familly. "everything he gave to us took all he had". I know thats what this song is about. My father is the same way.
A woman realizes too late that she loves her now dead neighbor, who was in love with her first. A plot worthy of a soap opera, but it is still a dang good song. I love it!