Well, well, well, ah.
A motherless children have a hard time.
Motherless children have a hard time, Mother's dead.
They'll not have anywhere to go,
Wanderin around from door to door.
Have a hard time.

Nobody on Earth can take a mother's place when, when Mother is dead, Lord.
Nobody on Earth takes Mother's place when, Mother's dead.
Nobody on Earth takes Mother's place,
When you were startin, paved the way.
Nobody treats you like Mother will when.

Your wife or husband may be good to you, when Mother is dead, Lord.
They'll be good to you, Mother's dead.
A wife or a husband may be good to you,
But, better than nothing has proved untrue.
Nobody treats you like Mother will when, when Mother is dead, Lord.

Lord, Lord, Lord. Yeah, well, ah. Well, some people say that Sister will do, when Mother is dead.
That Sister will do when Mother's dead.
Some people say that Sister will do,
But, as soon as she's married, she turn her back on you.
Nobody treats you like Mother will.

And Father will do the best he can, when Mother is dead, Lord.
Well, the best he can when Mother is dead.
Father will do the best he can,
So many things a father can't understand.
Nobody treats you like Mother will.

A motherless children have a hard time, when Mother is dead, Lord.
Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead.
They'll not have anywhere to go,
Wanderin around from door to door.
Have a hard time