Papa Was a Rolling Stone
The Temptations
- written by Norman WHitfield and Barrett Strong

It was the third of September
That day I'll always remember
'Cause that was the day my daddy died
I never got a chance to see him
Never heard nothin' but bad things about him
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the tuth
And Mama just hung her head and said, Son

Chorus:
  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
  Wherever he laid his hat was his home
  And when he died
  All he left us was alone

Hey, Mama, is it true what they say
That Papa never worked a day in his life?
And Mama, some bad talk goin' around goin' around town
Sayin' that Papa had three outside children and another wife 
And that ain't right
Hey, talk about Papa doing some storefront preaching
Talking about saving your soul
And all the time leaching
Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
And Mama hung her head and said

  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
  Wherever he laid his hat was his home
  And when he died
  All he left us was alone

Hey Mama I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bills
Folks say Papa wasn't much on thinkin'
Spent most of his life chasin' women and drinking
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
And Mama looked up with a tear in her eye 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
  Wherever he laid his hat was his home
  And when he died
  All he left us was alone

----------------------------------------------------------