Before it was ripe
Way before it was time
To pick the grapes from the vine
Love that fell from our hearts
Made it sweet

So we borrowed my
Mother's wedding band
Found a shack and a piece of land
Oh, Lord, what else could
Make my life complete

A frail body torn with each baby born
The most fearsome screams, awful pain
Back to the field before she was healed
And never complained

I can't go through life alone
I gotta go see if can get
Mamma to come back home

Little Susie, now here's your chance
To show Daddy how big girl you can be
What I want you to so is take care
Of little Davey and the twins

If I don't come back tonight
And bounce em on my knee
Lord, how do you make
A little boy a man
When he's only three

Though it hurts me so
To leave you here alone
I gotta go see if I can't your
Momma to come back home

A house divided, broken in two
Can't stand the test
When the wind blows through
And I can't hold it together

So I headed for town
Where I thought she'd be
Praying the right words
Would come to me

When I got to the ridge
There was a crowd on the bridge
Where she fell to the water
Somebody said, we did all we could
But she couldn't be saved

And I could hear the words
That I told Susie
When I left her alone
I said, I gotta go see
If I can't your Momma
To come back home

Oh, Lord, see if I can't your
Momma to come back home
Do you hear me, baby
See if I can't your
Momma to come back home

I wonder if she understands
I know I can, but I'm just a man
Somebody's taken it out of my hands