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Version 1Clarence 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 G E Am 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 G E 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 G E 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 E 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