Annabell of Mobile

Papa died leaving me and mama alone
Didn't starve, but we were relatively on our own
Mama bought us a house high up on the hill
In the outskirts overlooking Mobile
Friday night mama's friends climbed up our hill
Clever men, big businessmen from Mobile
They call me over and they touch my yellow hair
My mama would look at them, she'd say, "Don't you dare"

I remember when the morning came
Mama cryin' in the morning rain
Because they called her by a funny name
Annabell of Mobile

I'd go to bed and mama would always tuck me in
She'd kiss my eyes and tell me that she'd see me in the morning
Then I'd hear the laughter from another room
As I fell asleep beneath an Alabama moon
Fell in love with a boy, took him home so mama could meet him
He caught onto mama right away and he couldn't believe it
'Cause I didn't know she took him inside and she said
"If you really love her don't tell her what I am 'til I'm dead"

I remember when the morning came
Mama cryin' in the morning rain
Because they called her by a funny name
Annabell of Mobile

One night the light didn't burn so bright on the hill
You see I knew what mama was and I loved her still
And the laughter in the rooms are gone for evermore from the hill
There's a lot of lonely men tonight all over Mobile

I remember when the morning came
I was cryin' in the morning rain
My mama's gotta know I'm not ashamed
Of Annabell of Mobile
My mama