My father is a drunkard, my mother she is dead
And I am just an orphan child, no place to lay my head
All through this world I wander, they drive me from their door
Someday I'll find a welcome on heaven's golden shore

Now if to me you'll listen I'll tell a story sad
How drinking rum and the gambling hell have stole away my dad
My mother she is in heaven where God and the angels smile
And now I know she's watching her lonely orphan child

--- Instrumental ---

(We were once so happy and had a happy home

Till daddy went to drinking rum and then he gambled some)
He left my darling mother she died of a broken heart
And as I tell my story I can see your teardrops start

Don't weep for me and mother although I know it is sad
But try to find someone to cheer and save my poor lonely dad
I'm awful cold and hungry she closed her eyes and sighed
Then those who heard her story knew the orphan child had died