Papa Was A Rollin' Stone - The Temptations (1972)

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, 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, bad talk going around town

Saying that Papa had three outside children and another wife

And that ain't right

Heard some talk about Papa doing some store front preaching

Talkin 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 call himself a jack of all trade

Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?

Folk say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bill

Hey Mama, folk 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

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... "

Autor(es) / Writer(s): Norman Whitfield y Barrett Strong.