[Intro verse]
Yes they wrote me a letter, what do you reckon it read?
Yes they wrote me a letter, what do you reckon it read?
Come home big papa, your lovin' baby's dead
[spoken] Sure enough he goes to the graveyard
He goes back home. He goes to his friend.
When he got that letter, he goes to the depot
And he catch the longest train he seen
And he didn't stop at no short stop
He read somethin', got it in the heart
And when he got home here with his, told his mama [/spoken]
Yes I went to the depot, [cause the train to fly ??]
I went to the depot, caught the train [up long ??]
When he walks in Lord, she was low lay down
[spoken] His Mama met him at the door step.
Papa run to the bed side, told his daughter and daughter-in-law goodbye [/spoken]
My Mama said "Howdy!" Papa said "Goodbye!"
My Mama said "Howdy!" Papa said "Goodbye!"
Poor boy couldn't do nothing but, hang his head and cry
[3 instrumental lines]
Poor boy couldn't do nothing but, hang his head and cry
[spoken] He went to the bedside and looked down in the baby's face
She didn't know him from nobody else 'cause it's too late
When he looked down in her face, here' what he said to his Mama: [/spoken]
Yes he went to the bed Lord, looked down in her face
Yes he went to the bed Lord, looked down in her face
"Lord I love you pretty mama, just can't take your place"
[Instrumental verse out, end on first bar of the V]