Mama Sang A Song

(album: Story Songs For Country Folks - 1964)

(God put a song in the heart of an angel and softly she sang it to me)
You know I get to thinking a lotta times about back when I was a boy
The old homeplace where I grew up of the days both good and bad
My overalls were hand-me-downs my shoes they were full of holes
I used to walk four miles to school every day through the rain the sleet and the cold
I've seen the nights when my daddy would cry
For the things that his family would need
But all he ever got was a badland farm and seven hungry mouths to feed
And yet and yet our homefire never flickered once
'Cause when all these things went wrong
Mama took the hymn book down and mama sang a song
(What a friend we have in Jesus)

Oh, I've been rocked to sleep many a night to the tune of What a Friend
And come morning Rock of Ages why it would wake me gently once again
And then dad he'd reach up and he'd take the Bible down
And he'd read it read it loud and long
And I always felt that maybe our home was blessed
When daddy would say mama sing a song
Let see sister left home first I guess
And there was Bob and then Tommy and at last was Dan
By then dad's hair was turning white and I had to be my mama's little man
But it seemed that as daddy's back grew weak
My mother's faith just grew that much strong
And those were the greatest days of all it was there when mama sang a song
(Rock of ages cleft for me let me hide myself in Thee)

I guess the house is still standing I don't get to go back there anymore
Least much no voice is left to fill those halls
And I bet there ain't even no steps to grace the floor
Cause you see my mama sings in heaven now up around God's golden throne
But I'll always believe that this world is a better place to live
Because one time my mama sang a song
(Precious mem'ries flood my soul)