Mama Sang a Song

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

I get to thinkin' lotta times
About back when I was a lad
The old homeplace where I grew up
And of the days both good and bad

My overalls were hand-me-downs
And my shoes full of holes
But 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 the things went wrong
Mama took the hymn book down
And mama sang a song
(What a friend we have in Jesus)

Yeah, I've been rocked to sleep many a night
To the tune of 'What a Friend'
And come morning 'Rock of Ages'
It gently wake me once again

Then daddy'd reach up and take the Bible down
And he'd read it, oh, he read it loud and strong
And I always felt that maybe our home was blessed
When daddy would say "Mama sing a song"

Sister left home first I guess
And then Bob and Tommy then Dan
By then my dad's hair was turning white
And I had to be mama's little man

But when my daddy's back grew weak
It seem my mother's faith 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 standin'
I don't get back [Incomprehensible] much anymore
No voice is left to fill those halls
And no steps to grace the floor

You see mom sings in heaven now
Around God's golden throne
But I'll always believe that
This old world is a better place
Because one time my mama sang a song
(Precious memories flood my soul)