I remember when I was a lad
Times were hard and things were bad
But there's a silver linin' inside every cloud
Just poor people that's all we were
Tryin' to make a livin' out of black land earth
But we'd get together in a family circle singin' loud
Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor
Me and little brother would join right in there
Singin' seems to help a troubled soul
One of these days and it won't be long
I'll rejoin them in a song
I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne
No, the circle won't be broken
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor
Me and little brother will join right in there
In the sky, Lord in the sky
Now I remember after work
Mama would call in all of us
You could hear us singin' for a country mile
Now little brother has done gone on
But I'll rejoin him in a song
We'll be together again up yonder in a little while
Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor
Me and little brother would join right in there
Singin' seems to help a troubled soul
One of these days and it won't be long
I'll rejoin them in a song
I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne
No, the circle won't be broken
Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye
Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor
Me and little brother will join right in there
In the sky, Lord in the sky