Mama Sang a Song

(God put a song in the heart of an angel and softly she sang it to me)

I get to thinking a lot of times about back when I was a lad
Of the old homeplace where I grew up and of the days both good and bad
My overalls were hand-me-downs, my shoes were full of holes

I used to walk four miles to school every day through the rain, the sleet and the cold
I've seen the nights when my daddy would cry
For the things that his family would need
But all daddy ever got was a badland farm and seven hungry mouths to feed

And yet and yet our homefire never flickered once
'Cause when all these things went wrong
Mama took the hymn book down and mama sang a song
(What a friend we have in Jesus)

Oh, I've been rocked to sleep many a night to the tune of "What a Friend"
And then come morning and "Rock of Ages" would wake me gently once again
And then I remember how daddy used to reach up and he'd take the Bible down
And he'd read it loud and long

And I always felt that maybe our house was blessed
When daddy would say, "Mama, sing a song"
Sister left home first I guess and then Bob and then Tommy and then Dan
By then dad's hair was turning white and I sort of had to be mama's little man

But you know, it seemed that as my daddy's back grew weak, my mother's faith just grew strong
And those were the greatest days of all when mama sang a song
(Rock of ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee)
I guess the old house is still standing
I don't get to go back much anymore

No voice is left to fill those halls
And no steps to grace the floor
For you see, you see my mother sings up in heaven now, up around God's golden throne
But I'll always believe that this whole world is a better place
Because one time my mama sang a song (precious memories flood my soul)