Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp 2/4 Kenny Rogers
Standard Tuning No Capo Transcribed by Ken Lee
Corrections or comments to kandvlee@shaw.ca
/ / / /
The / corn was dry, the / weeds were high when / Daddy took to / drinkin'
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When / him and Lucy / Walker, they took / up and run a - / way.
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Mama cried a / tear and then she / promised fourteen / children,
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"I / swear you'll never / see a hungry / day."
Chorus:
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Oh, the / path was deep and / wide, from footsteps / leading to our / cabin,
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A - / bove the door there / burned a scarlet / lamp, and
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Late at night, a / hand would knock and / there would stand a / stranger,
/ /
I'm the son of / Hick'ry Holler's / tramp.
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Mama sacri - / ficed her pride, and / neighbors started / talkin',
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But / I was much too / young to under - / stand the things they / said,
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The / things that mattered / most of all was / Mama's chicken / dumplin's, and
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A / goodnight kiss be- / fore we went to / bed.
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When / Daddy left, and / destitution / came upon our / fam'ly,
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Not one neighbor / volunteered to / give a helpin' / hand,
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So / let 'em gossip / all they want; she / loved us and she / raised us.
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The / proof is standing / here, a full grown / man.
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Last / summer Mama / passed away and / left the ones who / loved her,
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Each and ev'ry / one is more than / grateful for his / birth,
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Each / Sunday she receives a / fresh bou - / quet of fourteen / roses, and
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A / card that says, " To the / greatest Mom on / earth."
Chorus: