I was and raised 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 'Cause he'd 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 from the crops he raised Barely paid the we made
For, life had him down to the ground When he 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 the family through My son, it's all up to you
Two later Papa passed away, and I became a man day So I told I was gonna quit school, but She that was Daddy's strictest rule
So every mornin' 'fore I went to I fed the chickens and I wood too Sometimes I felt I couldn't go on I wanted to leave, run away from home But I would remember what my daddy With tears in his eyes on his 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 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 else depended on me Every I heard my Mama pray Lord, give him the to make another day
So years have passed and all the kids are The angels Mama to a brand new home Lord knows, people, I shedded But my daddy's voice kept me through the
Sing, Patches, I'm on you, son To the family through My son, it's all up to you
Oh, I can still hear Papa's sayin' Patches, I'm on you, son I've to do my best It's up to you to do the
I can hear Papa, what he said Patches, I'm on you, son To pull the family My son, it's all up to you