Mama Sang a Song

(Bill Anderson)

(God put a song in the heart of an angel)

(And softly she sang it to me.)

I get to thinking lots of times

About back when I was a lad

Of the old homeplace where I grew up

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 he 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.)

I've been rocked to sleep many a night

To the tune of What a Friend

And come morning Rock of Ages

Would wake me gently once again.

And when daddy would reach up and he'd take the Bible down

And he'd read it, 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 had to be mama's little man.

But it seemed that as 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 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 my mother sings in heaven now

Around God's golden throne

But I'll always believe that this world is a better place

Because one time my mama sang a song.

(Precious mem'ries flod my soul.)...