I was born and down in Alabama On a way back up in the woods Oh, I was so ragged, folks call me Patches Papa used to me about it But deep down inside dad was 'Cause he the best he could do
My was a great old man I can see him with a shovel in his Education daddy had But he did wonders when the got bad The money from the crops we raised Barely paid the we made
Oh, put him down to the ground When he tried to get up, life kick him back down On the day called me to his dying bed his hands on my shoulders and in tears he said
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the through, my son, it's all left up to you"
Two later papa passed away And I became a man day So, everyday I had to the fields 'Cause that's the way we got our meals See, I was the of the family And was depending on me
Now, years passed, everybody's grown Mama's living in a brand new home Lord knows it a lot of sweat and tears And my voice helped that us through the years
He said, "Patches, I'm on you son To pull the family through, my son, it's all up to you"
Daddy had been sick for a time, flat on his back Every evening after we'd our chores and eat our dinner We'd all go into room to cheer him up a little And this particular day, Dad was in good on the side of the bed telling mama how good she looked When all of a sudden had a pain in his chest
I was too young to understand, talking a heart attack here Mama rushed all of us out of the room the hallway About ten minutes later she out with tears in her eyes She out to me "Patches, patches get in here boy you're Daddy to see you" I went running to papa's there papa lay there
Daddy had tears in his eyes, I knew something was 'Cause was a poor man but all of my life he'd been a proud man I knelt down on one beside the bed put his hand on my shoulder He said, "Patches, Patches boy, the of life done beat Your old papa down to the and I ain't got nobody To turn to take care of mama and the ones"
"So, what I want you to do is me son Is that gonna do your best to help your mama As as you can", I said, "Papa I'm gonna do my best" But little did I know then I know right now That to climb life's mountain Searching for a top when there no top
Sometimes you yourself frustrated, lazy But time I feel like I can't live my life like I want to My goes back to that day When I see those tears in my Daddy's But most of all I remember his "Patches, I'm on you boy"
time I feel like giving up I hear his voice "Patches, Patches, Patches, Patches"
"I'm on you son I to do my best, it's up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son I've to do my best, it's up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son To the family through, my son, it's all left up to you"