Motherless children have a hard time when your mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when your mother is gone
Motherless children have a hard time when the mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone
Motherless children have a hard time
All that weeping and all that crying
Motherless children have a hard time when your mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone

They don't have no place to go when mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone
They don't have no place to go when mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone
They don't have no place to go
Some got to go from door to door
Motherless children have a hard time when mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone

Some people say that the sister will do when mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone
Some people say that the sister will do when the mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone
Some people say that the sister will do
She'll get married turn her back on you
Motherless children have a hard time when mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone

Hush little baby now don't you cry cause your mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when your mother is gone
Hush little baby now don't you cry cause your mother is gone
When she's gone on home, when mother is gone
Hush little baby now don't you cry
You'll see your mother in the by and by
Motherless children have a hard time when the mother is gone
When she's gone on home when your mother is gone

Repeat first verse