I was born and down in Alabama On a farm way back up in the Oh, I was so ragged, folks call me Patches Papa used to tease me it But deep down inside dad was he done the best he could do
My papa was a old man I can see him with a shovel in his Education daddy had But he did wonders the times got bad The little money from the we raised Barely the bills we made
Oh, life put him down to the When he tried to get up, life would him back down On the day papa called me to his bed Placed his hands on my shoulders and in tears he
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the through, my son, it's all left up to you"
Two days papa passed away And I a man that day So, everyday I had to the fields 'Cause that's the only way we got our See, I was the oldest of the And everybody was on me
Now, years have passed, grown Mama's been living in a brand new Lord knows it a lot of sweat 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 sick for a long time, flat on his Every evening after we'd finished our and eat our dinner We'd all go into room to cheer him up a little And this day, Dad was in good spirits Sitting on the side of the bed telling 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 here rushed all of us out of the room into the hallway About ten minutes later she out with tears in her eyes She out to me "Patches, patches get in here boy you're Daddy to see you" I went running to papa's room papa lay there
had tears in his eyes, I knew something was wrong 'Cause Daddy was a poor man but all of my life he'd a proud man I down on one knee beside the bed Papa put his on my shoulder He said, "Patches, Patches boy, the hammer of life beat Your old down to the ground and I ain't got nobody To turn to take care of and the young ones"
"So, what I you to do is promise me son Is that you're do your best to help your mama As as you can", I said, "Papa I'm gonna do my best" But little did I know then like I right now That trying to climb mountain Searching for a top when ain't no top
Sometimes you find yourself frustrated, But every time I feel like I can't my life like I want to My goes back to that day I see those tears in my Daddy's eyes But of all I remember his words "Patches, I'm on you boy"
Every time I like giving up I hear 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 pull the family through, my son, all left up to you"