I was and raised down in Alabama On a way back up in the woods Oh, I was so ragged, folks call me Patches Papa used to tease me it But deep inside dad was hurtin' 'Cause he done the he could do
My papa was a old man I can see him a shovel in his hand daddy never had But he did wonders when the got bad The little money from the we raised Barely paid the we made
Oh, life put him down to the When he tried to get up, life kick him back down On the day called me to his dying bed Placed his hands on my and in tears he said
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the family through, my son, it's all up to you"
Two later papa passed away And I became a man day So, everyday I had to the fields that's the only way we got our meals See, I was the oldest of the And was depending on me
Now, years passed, everybody's grown Mama's been 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 through, my son, it's all left up to you"
Daddy had been sick for a time, flat on his back Every evening after finished our chores and eat our dinner We'd all go into room to cheer him up a little And particular day, Dad was in good spirits Sitting on the side of the bed telling how good she looked all of a sudden papa had a pain in his chest
I was too young to understand, talking a heart attack here Mama rushed all of us out of the room into the About ten minutes later she came out with in her eyes She out to me "Patches, patches get in here boy you're want to see you" I went running to room there papa lay there
Daddy had tears in his eyes, I something was wrong 'Cause Daddy was a poor man but all of my life he'd been a man I knelt down on one beside the bed put his hand on my shoulder He said, "Patches, boy, the hammer of life done beat Your old papa down to the ground and I ain't got To turn to care of mama and the young ones"
"So, I want 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 little did I then like I know right now That trying to climb mountain Searching for a top there ain't no top
Sometimes you find frustrated, lazy But time I feel like I can't live my life like I want to My mind goes back to 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 tried to do my best, up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son I've tried to do my best, up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the through, my son, it's all left up to you"