I was born and raised in Alabama On a way back up in the woods I was so ragged that used to call me Patches Papa to tease me about it 'Cause deep 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 crops he Barely paid the bills we
For, life had him down to the ground 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 family My son, all left up to you
Two later Papa passed away, and I became a man day So I Mama I was gonna quit school, but She said that was Daddy's strictest
So mornin' 'fore I went to school I fed the and I chopped wood too Sometimes I felt I couldn't go on I wanted to leave, just run away home But I would remember what my said With in his eyes on his dyin' bed
He said, I'm on you, son I to do my best up to you to do the rest
Then one day a rain came And washed all the away And at the age of 13 I I was the weight of the Whole on my shoulders And you know, Mama I was goin' through, 'cause
Every day I had to the fields 'Cause that's the only way we got our You see, I was the of the family And everybody depended on me night I heard my Mama pray Lord, give him the strength to another day
So have passed and all the kids are grown The angels took to a brand new home knows, people, I shedded tears But my daddy's voice kept me through the
Sing, Patches, I'm on you, son To pull the family My son, it's all up to you
Oh, I can still hear Papa's voice Patches, I'm on you, son tried to do my best It's up to you to do the
I can still hear Papa, what he Patches, I'm on you, son To pull the family My son, all left up to you