When I was a child, mama'd hold me
In her lovin' arms when the storm clouds come along
Dark clouds rising, storms a ragin
She would sing an old gospel song
With the thunder crashing and lightning, flashing
I found comfort in the words that she would sing
Beyond these dark skies there's a rainbow
That only love and the sun'll bring
When she sang Amazing Grace
I felt tears in my eyes
When she sang Circle Be Unbroken
Lord, I knew there's bluer skies
Time rolled on, the circle was broken
Mama went on to somewhere beyond the blue
I started ramblin' that lost highway
And hard livin' took away the little child she knew
Yeah, I started drinkin' and I started gamblin'
I had no one to look over me
There was no blue skies, only sorrow
I could only hear her sing in my memory
I was runnin' with a wild bunch
Hanging with the rough and the rowdy kind
I was livin' fast, and I was dying young
So alone, Lord I had a worried mind
I was drunk and I was hurtin'
Somewhere on the streets in New Orleans
When I stumbled into a little shelter
I saw an angel with a tambourine
