Because, y’know, not every father’s cut out to be Ward Cleaver

It was the third of September.
That day I’ll always remember, yes I will.
‘Cause that was the day that my daddy died.
I never got a chance to see him.
Never heard nothing but bad things about him.
Mama, I’m depending on you to tell me the truth.

And Mama just hung her head and said,
“Son, Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.”
“Papa was a rolling stone, my son.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.”

Well, well.

Hey Mama, is it true what they say,
that Papa never worked a day in his life?
And Mama, some bad talk going around town
saying that Papa had three outside children and another wife.
And that ain’t right.
Hey, talk about Papa doing some store front preaching.
Talked about saving souls and all the time leeching.
Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord.

Mama just hung her head and said,
“Papa was a rolling stone, my son.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.”
“Hey, Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.”

Uh!

Hey Mama, I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades.
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bills.
Hey Mama, folks say that Papa was never much on thinking.
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking.
Mama, I’m depending on you to tell me the truth.

And Mama looked up with a tear in her eye and said,
“Son, Papa was a rolling stone. (Well, well, well, well)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.”
“Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.”

“I said, Papa was a rolling stone. Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) All he left us was ALONE.”

28 Comments

  1. Hugs, Melodye.

    Father’s Day is sad for me because I miss my father so much. My husband would be singing along with you on that song, though. We didn’t invite M’s father to our wedding, and rightly so.

    But what a perfect song to inspire your memoir! Those Temptations really were good.

    • Thanks for the hugs; I’m hugging you right back! I’m sure that your father’s right beside you today, celebrating his finest achievement (you).

      I love this song. It’s dark and uplifting, all at the same time.

    • Thanks for the hugs; I’m hugging you right back! I’m sure that your father’s right beside you today, celebrating his finest achievement (you).

      I love this song. It’s dark and uplifting, all at the same time.

  2. Hugs, Melodye.

    Father’s Day is sad for me because I miss my father so much. My husband would be singing along with you on that song, though. We didn’t invite M’s father to our wedding, and rightly so.

    But what a perfect song to inspire your memoir! Those Temptations really were good.

  3. You are full of such strength and goodness, Melodye.

    Holidays like this can be bittersweet. For me it’s Mother’s Day – daughter of the anti-thesis of June Cleaver. But we all make it.

    Peace ~

    Laura

    • Thank you, Laura, for your very sweet words. I echo the same thoughts back to you.

      Yes, we all make it — because of, and/or in spite of our past. 🙂

    • Hugs to you, too. I’m guessing most of us can relate; it’s likely we all have painful or atypical relationships we have to work through. And so we do, and we become better people for it. 🙂

  7. I wish I could wrap my arms around the little girl Melodye. Are you close to your brothers and sisters? How are they doing? I do hope you get some comfort from them.

    Lots of love to you!

    • Thank you for sending love to me and hugs to little girl Melodye. I appreciate your sentiments very much, and so you know, I’m really okay.

      The message I was trying to get across (maybe not very well?) was this: Acceptance = forgiveness = love.

  8. I wish I could wrap my arms around the little girl Melodye. Are you close to your brothers and sisters? How are they doing? I do hope you get some comfort from them.

    Lots of love to you!

  9. Thanks for posting this, Melodye. I bet that Father’s Day is a bittersweet day for you. But I’d bet that he is proud of the woman you’ve become. You’re an amazing person full of such strength, wisdom and a profound sense of optimism that I for one, and I imagine many others, have come to truly appreciate.

    • I’m one of those people who hears the lyrics before the lyrics, but my husband (a musician himself) hears the music first and foremost. Interesting lyrics, aren’t they? 🙂

      And stop posting all those delicious-sounding recipes on your blog; I’ve got drool all over my keyboard! lol

Comments are closed.