I was born and raised down in On a farm way back up in the I was so ragged that used to call me Patches Papa used to tease me it Cause down inside he was hurt he'd 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 from the he raised Barely the bills we made
For, life had kick him down to the he tried to get up Life would him back down One day Papa me to his dyin' 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 passed away, and I became a man day So I told Mama I was gonna school, but She said that was Daddy's rule
So every mornin' 'fore I to school I fed the chickens and I wood too Sometimes I felt I couldn't go on I wanted to leave, just run away home But I remember what my daddy said tears 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
Then one day a strong rain And washed all the crops And at the age of 13 I I was carryin' the of the world on my shoulders And you know, Mama What I was through, 'cause
Every day I had to the fields Cause the only way we got our meals You see, I was the of the family And everybody else on me Every night I my Mama pray Lord, give him the strength to another day
So years have passed and all the are grown The took Mama to a brand new home Lord knows, people, I tears But my daddy's voice me through the years
Sing, Patches, I'm on you, son To pull the family My son, it's all up to you
Oh, I can still Papa's voice sayin' Patches, I'm on you, son I've to do my best up to you to do the rest
I can still hear Papa, what he