Help Me Understand

(album: Luke The Drifter, Jr. - 1969)

A little girl prayed at the close of the day
Cause her daddy had gone far away
On her little face was a look of despair
I stood there and listened and I heard this prayer

My mama says daddy has brought us to shame
I'm never no more to mention his name
Lord take me and lead me and hold to my hand
Oh heavenly father help me understand

You know friends I wonder how many homes are broken tonight
And just how many tears are shed
By some little word of anger that really never should've been said
I'd like to tell you a story of a family I once knew
We'll call 'em Mary and William and their little daughter Sue
Now Mary was just a plain mother and Bill was the usual dad
And they had their little family quarrels like ever body else
But neither one really got mad
Then one day something happened and it was nothing of course
But one word led to another and the last word led to a divorce
Now here were two grown people that failed to use common sense
They strengthen their own selfish pride at little Sue's expense
Now you know she didn't ask to be brought in this world to drift from pillar to post
But a divorce never stops to consider the ones it hurts the most
There'd be a lot more honest loving in this wicked ole world today
If just a few parted parents could hear little Sue say

Lord take me and lead me and hold to my hand
Oh heavenly father help me understand