I was born and down in Alabama On a farm way back up in the I was so ragged that folks to call me Patches Papa used to tease me it Cause deep down he was hurt he'd done all he could
My was a great old man I can see him with a in his hands, see he never had He did wonders the times got bad The little money from the he raised Barely paid the we made
For, life had kick him down to the he tried to get up Life would kick him down One day Papa called me to his bed Put his hands on my And in his he said
He said, I'm on you, son To pull the through My son, it's all up to you
Two days later Papa away, and I became a man day So I told Mama I was quit school, but She that was Daddy's strictest rule
So every mornin' I went to school I fed the chickens and I chopped too I felt that I couldn't go on I wanted to leave, just run away home But I would remember my daddy said With in his eyes on his dyin' bed
He said, I'm on you, son I tried to do my It's up to you to do the
one day a strong rain came And washed all the crops And at the age of 13 I I was carryin' the of the Whole world on my And you know, knew What I was goin' through,
Every day I had to the fields Cause that's the only way we got our You see, I was the oldest of the And else depended on me Every night I my Mama pray Lord, give him the to face another day
So years have passed and all the are grown The took Mama to a brand new home Lord knows, people, I shedded But my daddy's voice kept me the years
Sing, Patches, I'm on you, son To pull the through My son, it's all up to you
Oh, I can still hear voice sayin' Patches, I'm on you, son I've tried to do my It's up to you to do the
I can still hear Papa, he said