Mamma woke me up one cold September day,
“Now won’t you pray dear son, you must find your way”
I knelt beside my bed asking myself why,
No answers in my little head, mum’s warning me not to cry,
“Now off to church young boy, for all your wrong”
Don’t forget the Sabbath, you need to praise in song.
Mamma looked at me that cold September day,
“I’m proud dear son, you have found your way”
She stood there thinking I had come to know,
The Lord my Saviour - where else is there to go?
Oh my God up above the earth so high,
I’m just a child oh Lord, can’t you hear me cry?
I don’t know what mamma’s fuss is all about,
Just a child am I, I wish she’d leave me out.
“You’ll be a good boy now” was mamma’s refrain
But how was she to know of my disdain?
For such a tough walk placed on me
I’m just a growing boy can’t you mamma see?
Only one life had I to live, I thought,
And as the years went by, we just fought and fought,
Wish I understood - someone had a plan for me,
But I ignored mamma’s plea of “just you wait and see”.
No more church said I, one Sabbath, still rooted to my bed
A demon hangover it was swirling in my head,
Little did I know that decision would set me back,
I never saw that church again, I just got slack and slack,
I dabbled and gambled - even on a Sunday,
Mamma tried hard, but I just couldn’t find the way.
Then one morning the officers pulled up - nothing nice to see
“Oh why!” “Oh Why!” said mamma, “this cannot be”
Now, I’m thinking back some years down the line
Can still hear mamma’s voice, “son you’d be fine!”
“Officer!” mamma said, “my son’s no murderer, no thief!”
That’s all mamma uttered, she couldn’t bear the grief!
I caused mamma pain, in me she had found no joy.
But how was I to know a life so young could self-destroy?
Now I’m doing time far away dusting floors
Yes, my punishment, just missed the jail doors
Oh Lord my hard labour is no sweat,
After where’ve I’ve been this certainly no regret,
My punishment, I know didn’t fit the crime
Lord you must have been there all the time
In a single moment my life had changed,
Now I’m older - Oh Lord why was my life so arranged?
Through troubled times I’ve walked, I had to hide
But God you were always there, you never left my side
How was I to know, the Lord would rescue me
From pain and suffering he has set me free
Sadly for mamma it was too late,
She never saw it through, I’m to blame, that was my fate
But mamma I’m back at church, where you said I belong…
If only I knew I wouldn’t have done so much wrong..