(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 home place
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 home fire 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 hat 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 flood my soul)