I was born and down in Alabama On a way back up in the woods Oh, I was so ragged, folks used me Patches Papa to tease me about it But deep inside dad was hurtin' he done the best he could do
My papa was a old man I can see him with a shovel in his Education never had But he did when the times got bad The little from the crops we raised Barely the bills we made
Oh, life put him to the ground When he tried to get up, life kick him back down On the day papa me to his dying bed Placed his on my shoulders and in tears he said
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the family through, my son, it's all up to you"
Two days later papa passed And I became a man day So, I had to work the fields 'Cause that's the only way we got our See, I was the oldest of the And everybody was on me
Now, years passed, everybody's grown Mama's been living in a brand new Lord it took a lot of sweat and tears And my daddy's voice helped that us the years
He said, "Patches, I'm on you son To pull the through, my son, it's all left up to you"
had been sick for a long time, flat on his back Every evening after we'd our chores and eat our dinner We'd all go into papa's to cheer him up a little And this particular day, Dad was in spirits on the side of the bed telling mama how good she looked When all of a sudden papa had a in his chest
I was too young to understand, talking a heart attack here rushed all of us out of the room into the hallway About ten later she came out with tears in her eyes She out to me "Patches, get in here boy you're Daddy want to see you" I went running to room there papa lay there
Daddy had tears in his eyes, I knew was wrong 'Cause Daddy was a poor man but all of my life he'd a proud man I knelt down on one knee the bed put his hand on my shoulder He said, "Patches, Patches boy, the hammer of life beat Your old papa down to the and I ain't got nobody To turn to take care of and the young ones"
"So, what I you to do is promise me son Is you're gonna do your best to help your mama As much as you can", I said, "Papa I'm do my best" But little did I know then like I right now trying to climb life's mountain Searching for a top when ain't no top
Sometimes you find frustrated, lazy But every time I feel like I can't live my like I want to My mind back to that day When I see those tears in my Daddy's But most of all I his words "Patches, I'm on you boy"
Every 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 tried to do my best, up you to do the rest"
"Patches, I'm on you son To pull the through, my son, it's all left up to you"