Lyrics Papa Was a Rolling Stone - The Temptations

Papa Was a Rolling Stone

It was the third of September.
That day I’ll always remember, yes I will.
'Cause that was the day that my daddy died.
Oooh, I never got a chance to see him.
Never heard nothing but bad things about him.
Mama, I’m depending on you, tell me the truth.
And Mama just hung her head and said,
«Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) oh All he left us was ALONE.»
«Papa was a rolling stone, yeah yeah yeah
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) oh 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 going around town
saying that Papa had three outside children and another wife.
And that ain’t right.
HEARD SOME talk about Papa doing some store front preaching.
Talked about saving souls and all the time leeching.
Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord.
Mama just hung her head and said,
«Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) oh All he left us was ALONE.»
«Papa was a rolling stone.
nah nah nah
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) oh All he left us was ALONE.»
Hey Mama, I heard Papa call himself a jack of all trades.
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?
Folk say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bill.
Hey Mama, folk say that Papa was never much on thinking.
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking.
Mama, I’m depending on you to tell me the truth.
«Papa was a rolling stone.
nah nah nah
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) oh 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, lone lone lone.»
«Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) oh All he left us was ALONE, alone alone, lone lone.»
«Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home.
(And when he died) oh All he left us was ALONE, alone alone, lone lone.»
«Papa was a rolling stone…»
(fade out)