'Between The Ditches' by Zach Top - Lyrics & Meaning

With his latest album, Ain’t In It For My Health , Zach Top continues to stake his claim as one of the most authentic new voices in country music.

'Between the Ditches' is a perfect snapshot of his artistry, grounded in timeless country storytelling, full of steel guitar and carried by the easy, effortless flow of a classic country ballad.

Where some artists lean on nostalgia as an aesthetic, Top uses it as a foundation. Songs like this remind us why he’s been heralded as both a throwback and a future star: he takes the sounds that raised him and gives them new heart.

'Between the Ditches' unfurls with the warm lilt of steel guitar and the kind of melody that could sit comfortably on a '90s Alan Jackson or Clint Black record. Its production is unhurried, almost conversational, letting Top’s vocal take the wheel.

The ballad leans into the comfort of tradition without ever sounding dated. The instrumentation flows as effortlessly as the message, making it one of the most natural listens on the album.

Lyrically, 'Between the Ditches' is Top’s meditation on straying, stumbling and still finding his way back.

He opens with a warning, saying, “This road’s kinda windy but it’s plenty wide / Those curves’ll sneak up on you late at night”–a metaphor for the unpredictability of life. Wrong turns are easy, but as he admits, “ain’t that life?”

The heart of the song lies in the chorus, with the Washington native crooning “I go left sometimes, a little too far right / Yeah, I’m good at crossin’ that line and needin’ me some help / But I’m learnin’ like everybody else / I’m takin’ what I’m given… just tryin’ to keep on livin’ between the ditches.”

It’s an anthem for imperfection, about not pretending to have it all figured out, but being grateful to still be on the road.

He reflects on the close calls: “The good Lord’s rode shotgun, the devil’s rode my tail / I’ve always been one wrong turn away from goin’ to hell / I shouldn’t never made it, oh I shoulda went to jail.” That vulnerability makes the gratitude in the final verse all the more powerful. Despite his flaws, he has “a woman that loves me, a few good friends there for me, and a mama that thinks the world of me.”

It’s a song that embraces life’s messiness while giving thanks for the anchors that keep us steady.

This is Top at his most relatable: humble, reflective and unafraid to admit his flaws. The steel guitar and classic ballad structure give the song timeless weight, while his delivery keeps it fresh. For fans wondering if Top can keep climbing beyond his breakout, 'Between the Ditches' is proof that he’s not just coasting on throwback charm; he’s writing songs with staying power.

This road's kinda windy but it's plenty wide
Those curves'll sneak up on you late at night
Goin' wrong comes easy aw but ain't that life
I've gotta say thank God for friends and four wheel drive ... Cause

I go left sometimes a little too far right
Yeah I’m good at crossin' that line and needin' me some help
But I’m learnin' like everybody else
I’m takin' what I’m given ... Just tryin' to keep on livin'
Between the ditches

The good Lord's rode shotgun the devil's rode my tail
I've always been one wrong turn away from goin' to hell
I shouldn't never made it oh I shoulda went to jail
I've been woke up by more than one guard rail ... Oh cause

I go left sometimes a little too far right
Yeah I’m good at crossin' that line and needin' me some help
But I’m learnin' like everybody else
I’m takin' what I’m given ... Just tryin' to keep on livin'
Between the ditches

There's a woman that loves me
A few good friends there for me
And a mama that thinks the world of me ... Even though

I go left sometimes a little too far right
Yeah I’m good at crossin' that line and needin' me some help
Aw but I’m learnin' like everybody else
I’m takin' what I’m given ... Just tryin' to keep on livin'
Between the ditches
I’m just tryin' to keep on livin'
Between the ditches

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