Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, Pt. 2

Papa was a rollin' stone (my son)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died
All he left us
Was alone

Hey Mama
I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades
Tell me, is that what sent Papa to an early grave?

Folks say Papa would beg, borrow and steal
To pay his bills
Bein' on the road and away from our families never got any easier

Papa was a rollin' stone (my son)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died
All he left us
Was alone

The reunion tour didn't last long
Neither did Ruffin's composure
Once on the bus, he got to callin' me all kinds of names
Cussing at me like a maniac!
And all of a sudden
He just breaks down

Otis, man
I don't know what's wrong with me
I'm a mess
Inside, man, and I don't know how to clean it up
May God just help me, Otis

David Ruffin was a man with demons
And eventually, those demons took him from us
His body was found in a drug house
Strung out on crack
Left there for hours before somebody dumped him at the hospital
Now say what you want about him
He left a hell of an imprint
God knows he deserved a better exit than that
One with a little sparkle, 'sho 'nuff

Papa was a rollin' stone (my son, well now)

When we lost Eddie
That was definitely a kicker
Lung cancer
That beautiful voice
Destroyed
We had talked, days before he passed

You know, O
All that shit we been through

Yeah?

Water under the bridge
You know what I'm saying?
I love you, brother, you know that?

I didn't know when he said it
But I love you, too, man

Wherever he laid his hat was his home

Now, all of the Temps were my brothers
But Melvin and me have been through the thick of it
The cortisone had made his immune system so weak
You could push him over with a feather

We got to the top, O
Like you said we would
And it was worth every second
With you, brother
I'd do it all over again

And when he died
All he left us was alone

Melvin had literally given this group his all
We helped to integrate the nation
Became the top-selling group at Motown
That's a hell of a calling
Throughout all the bumps in the journey, I can really say
His passing was earned
You know?
But there's one sacrifice that will never measure up

Papa was a rollin' stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home

All he left us was alone

Otis, I - oh God

Josephine, what is it?
What's wrong?

It was some kind of freak accident
While he was workin' construction
They say Lamont -
He fell from a roof
And -
Dear God, Otis -
Our baby boy

Twenty-three years old
Lamont was only twenty-three years old when he -
Folks sometimes ask me which Temptation
I would bring back to life if I could
None
I would bring back my son