I was born and down in Alabama On a farm way up in the woods I was so that folks used to call me Patches Papa used to tease me it Cause deep down he was hurt Cause done all he could
My was a great old man I can see him a shovel in his hands, see Education he had He did wonders when the got bad The little money the crops he raised Barely paid the bills we
For, had kick him down to the ground When he to get up Life would him back down One day Papa me to his dyin' bed Put his on my shoulders And in his he said
He said, I'm on you, son To pull the family My son, it's all up to you
Two later Papa passed away, and I became a man day So I told Mama I was gonna school, but She said that was Daddy's strictest
So mornin' 'fore I went to school I fed the and I chopped wood too I felt that I couldn't go on I wanted to leave, run away from home But I would remember what my daddy tears in his eyes on his dyin' bed
He said, I'm on you, son I to do my best It's up to you to do the
one day a strong rain came And all the crops away And at the age of 13 I I was the weight of the Whole world on my And you know, Mama I was goin' through, 'cause
Every day I had to work the that's the only way we got our meals You see, I was the oldest of the And everybody depended on me Every I heard my Mama pray Lord, give him the to face another day
So years have passed and all the are grown The angels Mama to a brand new home knows, people, I shedded tears But my daddy's voice me through the years
Sing, Patches, I'm on you, son To the family through My son, it's all up to you
Oh, I can still Papa's voice sayin' Patches, I'm on you, son tried to do my best It's up to you to do the
I can still Papa, what he said