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 had a chance to see him
Never heard nothin'
but bad things about him
Mama I'm depending
on you to tell me the truth
Mama hung her head and said
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid
his hat was his home
And when he died
all he left us was alone
Mama, is it true what they say
That papa never
worked a day in his life?
There's some bad
talk going' round town
Say that papa
had three outside children
And another wife
Heard some talk about papa
Doing some store-front preching
Talking about saving souls
and all the time leaching
Dealing in drugs and stealing
in the name of the Lord
Mama hung her and said
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his
hat was his home
And when he died
all he left us was alone
I heard papa call himself
a jack of all trades
Tell me is that what sent papa
to an early grave?
Folks say papa would beg
borrow or steal
To pay his bills
Folks say 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
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his
hat was his home
And when he died
all he left us was alone