(God put a song in the heart of an angel and softly she sang it to me)

You know I get to thinking a lotta times about back when I was a boy

The old homeplace where I grew up of the days both good and bad

My overalls were hand-me-downs my shoes they 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 homefire 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)



Oh I've been rocked to sleep many a night to the tune of What a Friend

And come morning Rock of Ages why it would wake me gently once again

And then dad he'd 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 home was blessed

When daddy would say mama sing a song

Let see sister left home first I guess

And there was Bob and then Tommy and at last was Dan

By then dad's hair was turning white and I had to be my mama's little man

But it seemed that as daddy's back grew weak

My mother's faith just grew that much strong

And those were the greatest days of all it was there 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 there anymore

Least much no voice is left to fill those halls

And I bet there ain't even no steps to grace the floor

Cause you see my mama sings in heaven now up around God's golden throne

But I'll always believe that this world is a better place to live

Because one time my mama sang a song

(Precious mem'ries flod my soul)