I was and raised down in Alabama On a farm way up in the woods Oh, I was so ragged, used call me Patches used to tease me about it But deep inside dad was hurtin' 'Cause he done the best he do
My papa was a old man I can see him a shovel in his hand Education daddy had But he did wonders when the got bad The money from the crops we raised Barely the bills we made
Oh, put him down to the ground he tried to get up, life would kick him back down On the day called me to his dying bed Placed his on my shoulders and in tears he said
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the through, my son, it's all left up to you"
Two days later passed away And I became a man day So, everyday I had to work the 'Cause that's the way we got our meals See, I was the oldest of the And was depending on me
Now, have passed, everybody's grown been living in a brand new home Lord knows it took a lot of and tears And my daddy's helped that us through the years
He said, "Patches, I'm on you son To pull the family through, my son, all left up to you"
Daddy had been for a long time, flat on his back Every after we'd finished our chores and eat our dinner We'd all go into papa's room to him up a little And this particular day, Dad was in good Sitting on the side of the bed telling mama how she looked When all of a sudden papa had a in his chest
I was too to understand, talking about a heart attack here rushed all of us out of the room into the hallway About ten minutes later she came out with tears in her She out to me "Patches, patches get in boy you're Daddy want to see you" I running to papa's room there papa lay there
Daddy had tears in his eyes, I knew was wrong 'Cause was a poor man but all of my life he'd been a proud man I knelt down on one knee the bed Papa put his hand on my He said, "Patches, Patches boy, the hammer of life done Your old papa down to the and I ain't got nobody To turn to take care of mama and the ones"
"So, what I you to do is promise me son Is that you're gonna do your to help your mama As as you can", I said, "Papa I'm gonna do my best" But did I know then like I know right now That to climb life's mountain for a top when there ain't no top
Sometimes you yourself frustrated, lazy But every time I feel like I can't live my life like I to My goes back to that day I see those tears in my Daddy's eyes But most of all I remember his "Patches, I'm on you boy"
Every time I feel like giving up I his voice "Patches, Patches, Patches, Patches"
"I'm on you son I to do my best, it's up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son I've to do my best, it's up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son To the family through, my son, it's all left up to you"