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 down inside dad was hurtin' 'Cause he done the best he do
My was a great old man I can see him with a shovel in his Education daddy had But he did wonders when the got bad The money from the crops we raised paid the bills we made
Oh, life put him down to the When he tried to get up, life would kick him down On the day papa called me to his bed his hands 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 only way we got our See, I was the of the family And everybody was on me
Now, years passed, everybody's grown Mama's been living in a brand new 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 sick for a long time, flat on his back evening after we'd finished our chores and eat our dinner We'd all go into papa's room to cheer him up a And particular day, Dad was in good spirits on the side of the bed telling mama how good she looked When all of a sudden papa had a in his chest
I was too young to understand, talking about a heart attack Mama rushed all of us out of the into the hallway About ten later she came out with tears in her eyes She out to me "Patches, patches get in here boy you're Daddy to see you" I running to papa's room there papa lay there
Daddy had tears in his eyes, I knew something was Daddy was a poor man but all of my life he'd been a proud man I knelt on one knee beside the bed put his hand on my shoulder He said, "Patches, Patches boy, the of life done beat Your old papa down to the and I ain't got nobody To turn to care of mama and the young ones"
"So, what I you to do is promise me son Is that you're gonna do your best to help mama As as you can", I said, "Papa I'm gonna do my best" But little did I know like I know right now That to climb life's mountain Searching for a top when there no top
Sometimes you yourself frustrated, lazy But every time I feel I can't live my life like I want to My mind goes back to day When I see those in my Daddy's eyes But most of all I his words "Patches, I'm on you boy"
time I feel like giving up I hear his voice "Patches, Patches, Patches, Patches"
"I'm on you son I tried to do my best, 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 pull the family through, my son, it's all up to you"