Clarence Carter ?Patches? Capo 4 Written by: Catfish G I was born and raised down in Alabama Bm On a farm way back up in the woods G7 I was so raggedy, folks used call me, ?Patches? C Bm Am Papa used to tease me ?bout it G E Of course deep down inside he was hurt Am ?Cause he?d done all he could D My papa was a great ol? man C I can see him with a shovel in his hand D See, education he never had C But he did wonders when the time got bad D The little money from the crops he raised C Barely paid the bills we made G Bb Oh, life it kicked him down to the ground C G When he tried to get up, life would kick him back down G Bb One day papa called me to his dyin? bed C G Put his hands on my shoulders and in tears he said G He said, ?Patches Bm I?m dependin? on you, son G7 To pull the family through C Bm Am GAm My son, it?s all left up to you? D Two days later papa passed away C And I became a man that day D So I told mama I was gonna quit school C But she said that was daddy?s strictest rule D So every morning ?fore I went to school C I fed the chickens and I chopped wood too G Bb Sometimes I felt that I couldn?t go on C G I wanted to leave, just run away from home G Bb But I would remember what my daddy said C G With tears in his eyes on his dyin? bed G He said, ?Patches Bm I?m dependin? on you, son G7 I tried to do my best C Bm Am Am It?s up to you to do the rest? G But then one day a strong rain came Bm And washed all the crops away G7 And at the age of 13 C Bm Am G E I thought I was carryin? the weight of the whole world on my shoulders Am And you know mama knew what I was going through D ?Cause every day I had to work the fields C ?Cause that?s the only way we got our meals D You see, I was the oldest of the family C And everybody else depended on me D Every night I heard my mama pray C Lord, give him strength to face another day G Bb 4 years have passed and all the kids have grown C G The angels took mama to a brand new home G Bb God knows people, I she'd tears C G But my daddy?s voice kept me through the years G Sayin?, ?Patches Bm I?m dependin? on you, son G7 To pull the family through C Am My son, it?s all left up to you? G I can still hear papa when he said, ?Patches Bm I?m dependin? on you, son G7 I tried to do my best C Bm Am G Am It?s up to you to do the rest? G I can still hear papa when he said, ?Patches Bm I?m dependin? on you, son G7 To pull the family through