Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye

All through the years that I grew up, ma taught these things to me
But I was young and foolish then and much too blind to see
I ignored the things she said as if I'd never heard
Now I see and understand the wisdom of her words

Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said, son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye

I started goin' places where the youngsters shouldn't go
I got to know the kind of girls it's better not to know
I fell in with a bad crowd and laughed and drank with them
Through the laughter mama's words would echo now and then

Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said, son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye

I got in trouble with the law and I'm in prison now
Through these prison bars I see things so much different now
I've got one year left to serve and when my time is done
I'll walk tall and straight and make ma proud to call me son

Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
That's what my mama told me when I was about knee high
She said, son, be a proud man and hold your head up high
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in the eye
Walk tall, walk straight and look the world right in