(traditional)

Now motherless children
Have a hard time with mother dead
Motherless children
Have a hard time when mother is dead
They don't have anywhere to go
Walking around from door to door
Motherless children have a hard time
Oh with mother dead

Well father says that he can do
After mother gone away
Father says that he can do
After mother gone away
Father don't do so many things
The father don't know
Just so many things that he doesn't know
That motherless children have a hard time
After mother gone
Motherless children
Don't know where to go

Mother told a child
Someday I'll meet you
After we are dead
Mother told a child
Some day I'm gonna meet after we are dead
She told a child
Someday I'll meet you
Lord, oh Lord I can't desert you
Motherless children have a hard time
After mother is gone

Motherless children
Have a hard time when she's gone
Motherless children
Have a hard time when she's gone
They don't have anywhere to go
They wander from door to door

Motherless children
Motherless children
Motherless children
Have a hard time…