Before it was ripe Way before it was time To pick the grapes from the vine Love that fell from our hearts Made it sweet So we borrowed my Mother's wedding band Found a shack and a piece of land Oh, Lord, what else could Make my life complete A frail body torn with each baby born The most fearsome screams, awful pain Back to the field before she was healed And never complained I can't go through life alone I gotta go see if can get Mamma to come back home Little Susie, now here's your chance To show Daddy how big girl you can be What I want you to so is take care Of little Davey and the twins If I don't come back tonight And bounce em on my knee Lord, how do you make A little boy a man When he's only three Though it hurts me so To leave you here alone I gotta go see if I can't your Momma to come back home A house divided, broken in two Can't stand the test When the wind blows through And I can't hold it together So I headed for town Where I thought she'd be Praying the right words Would come to me When I got to the ridge There was a crowd on the bridge Where she fell to the water Somebody said, we did all we could But she couldn't be saved And I could hear the words That I told Susie When I left her alone I said, I gotta go see If I can't your Momma To come back home Oh, Lord, see if I can't your Momma to come back home Do you hear me, baby See if I can't your Momma to come back home I wonder if she understands I know I can, but I'm just a man Somebody's taken it out of my hands