Mammie

Mammie delivered me into this world
 Mammie watched my mama die at my birth
 And Mammie she loved me she took me to raise
 Mammie was all I had on this earth
 Let's get in the firewood, I'd hear Mammie say
 Let's go to the spring before it gets dark
 And you do up the dishes while the water's still hot
 And don't throw that dishwater out in the yard
 Oh Mammie taught me how to sing a song
 She taught me to play her old guitar
 And at night before bedtime we'd sing for hours
 As the teakettle whistled along on the fire
 And at night as I laid alone in my bed
 I'd hear Mammie praying and each night she said
 Oh dear God help me raise her to know right from wrong
 And I pray she'll do right even after I 'm gone
 I'd wait until Mammie had fallen asleep
 Then out of my window I'd quietly sneak
 And I'd wait by the mill pond according to plans
 And there in the darkness I'd meet a man
 Oh it's not that I wanted to bring Mammie shame
 I just couldn't control wild blood in my veins
 They tell me my mama could not name my dad
 So I guess it was natural for me to be bad
 One night I awoke at the sound of my name
 Come quickly, I heard Mammie cry
 She said you be good and I told her I would and
 That night I watched as my Mammie died
 All I have now are the memories of Mammie
 And the goodness that loving her brought me
 Although she is gone in my heart she lives on
 And I know how much good she taught me
 Ah Mammie, I'm being good Mammie ...