I was born and down in Alabama On a farm way back up in the Oh, I was so ragged, folks used call me Papa to tease me about it But deep down inside dad was he done the best he could do
My was a great old man I can see him with a in his hand Education daddy had But he did when the times got bad The little money from the we raised Barely paid the bills we
Oh, put him down to the ground When he tried to get up, life would kick him 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 family through, my son, it's all up to you"
Two days later papa passed And I became a man day So, I had to work the fields that's the only way we got our meals See, I was the oldest of the And everybody was on me
Now, have passed, everybody's grown Mama's been living in a brand new Lord it took a lot of sweat and tears And my daddy's voice helped that us 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 Every evening after we'd our chores and eat our dinner We'd all go papa's room to cheer him up a little And particular day, Dad was in good spirits Sitting on the side of the bed telling mama how good she 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 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 went to papa's room there papa lay there
Daddy had tears in his eyes, I knew something was 'Cause Daddy was a poor man but all of my life been a proud man I knelt down on one beside the bed Papa put his on my shoulder He said, "Patches, Patches boy, the hammer of life done Your old papa to the ground and I ain't got nobody To turn to take 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 your mama As much as you can", I said, "Papa I'm do my best" But little did I know then like I know now trying to climb life's mountain Searching for a top when ain't no top
Sometimes you yourself frustrated, lazy But every time I feel like I live my life like I want to My mind goes to that day When I see those tears in my Daddy's But most of all I remember his "Patches, I'm on you boy"
Every I feel 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 tried to do my best, up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the family through, my son, all left up to you"