Little Joe
Bessie Lee Mauldin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will they gather the crumbs around our door
Will they fly from the nest to the top of the tree
And ask why Joe wanders out no more
What will the kitten do, mother, all alone
Will she stray from her frolic for a day
Will she lie on the rug beside my bed
What will Thomas, the old gardener do
When you ask him for flowers for me
Will he give you a rose he has tended with care
The fairest one that lies around the tree
I saw the tears coming to his honest eyes
He said it was the wind that brought 'em there
As he gazed on my cheeks growing paler each day
His hand trembled over my hair
Keep Tag, mother, my little dog
I know that he'll mourn for me too
Keep him though blind and older he grows
To sleep in the whole summer through
Show him my coat, mother, so he may know
That his master then will be dead
Speak to him kindly and often of Joe
And pat him on his brown shaggy head
And you, dearest mother, shall miss me for a while
But in heaven I shall no larger grow
And any kind angel you meet at the gate
Can take you to your darling Little Joe
The song "Little Joe" is a heart-wrenching tale of a young man that is dying and wondering how his loved ones, including his mother, kitten, gardener, and dog, will cope with his death. The opening stanza of the song delves into the idea of what will happen to the birds when Little Joe is not there to feed them anymore. The singer also wonders what his kitten will do without him, and whether she'll lie next to his bed like she used to. The third stanza touches on the plants Little Joe loves, and whether his gardener, Thomas, will tend to them as before after the young man is gone.
As the song progresses, we see the depth of sorrow that the singer is going through. He tells his mother to keep his dog, Tag, who will mourn for him too. He also wants his mother to show Tag his coat so he might know that Little Joe is dead. Additionally, he asks his mother to speak kindly to his dog about him and pat him on the head. The final stanza is a message of hope to his mother, telling her that while she will miss him for a while, he'll no longer grow in heaven, and any kind angels she meets there can lead her to her "darling Little Joe."
Overall, "Little Joe" is a poignant song that deals with the complexities of death and the fears surrounding it. It offers a glimpse into the mind of a young man who knows he's dying and wants to ensure that his loved ones are taken care of when he's gone.
Line by Line Meaning
What will the birds do, mother, in the spring
My impending death has me worrying about the welfare of the birds in our yard - will they still come to collect crumbs from our doorstep when I'm gone?
Will they gather the crumbs around our door
I'm wondering if the birds will still find our yard to be a safe haven for food and sanctuary.
Will they fly from the nest to the top of the tree
I wonder if the birds will be joyfully singing in our yard or mournfully silent, flitting up to the top of the trees we planted and watched grow.
And ask why Joe wanders out no more
It brings me sorrow to think about the birds perhaps noticing my absence and wondering why I am no longer walking in the yard.
What will the kitten do, mother, all alone
I worry about our kitten when I'm gone - will she be lonely in our house without me?
Will she stray from her frolic for a day
I wonder if our kitten will still enjoy playful frolicking on her own or if she will become listless and sad without me there to play with.
Will she lie on the rug beside my bed
It brings me comfort to think of our kitten taking comfort on the rug beside my bed, maybe where I've spent hours resting.
Like she did before I went away
I hope our kitten won't change too much after I've gone, that she'll still have echoes of our time together with her.
What will Thomas, the old gardener do
I worry about the people in our lives who will be affected by my passing, like Thomas, our gardener.
When you ask him for flowers for me
I hope our family still asks Thomas for flowers for me, like they used to, and that he will not be too saddened by my absence.
Will he give you a rose he has tended with care
I hope that Thomas will select the most beautiful rose from his garden, one he's tended with love and care, to give as a tribute to me.
The fairest one that lies around the tree
I want to be remembered with the most beautiful rose in his garden, one that's surrounded by the others, but stands out as a tribute to me.
I saw the tears coming to his honest eyes
It was painful to see the gardener I've come to know and love cry, but it's a bittersweet reminder of our relationship and how much he cared for us.
He said it was the wind that brought 'em there
Thomas tried to hide his tears, explaining that it was simply the wind, but I know he was deeply affected by the news of my illness.
As he gazed on my cheeks growing paler each day
I could see the sadness in Thomas' eyes as he watched the physical effects of my illness taking their toll on my body.
His hand trembled over my hair
Thomas' trembling hand on my hair was a gentle, comforting reminder of the love and care we shared throughout my life.
Keep Tag, mother, my little dog
I want to make sure that our dog, Tag, is well taken care of after I'm gone.
I know that he'll mourn for me too
I hope that Tag will be able to find peace and happiness even though he will miss me.
Keep him though blind and older he grows
I hope that our family will be able to keep caring for Tag even as he grows older and may experience challenges like blindness.
To sleep in the whole summer through
I want Tag to be able to rest and sleep peacefully throughout the summer, without any worries or anxieties that would come from my passing.
Show him my coat, mother, so he may know
I hope that Tag can stay connected to my memory through familiar and comforting objects like my coat.
That his master then will be dead
May the coat remind Tag that I am no longer with him, but that I will always love him.
Speak to him kindly and often of Joe
I hope that our family will continue to talk about me with kindness and respect, so that Tag will always remember me with love.
And pat him on his brown shaggy head
May the memory of stroking Tag's fur and patting his head bring warmth to our family's hearts when I'm no longer there to do it myself.
And you, dearest mother, shall miss me for a while
I know that my passing will be difficult for many, especially my mother.
But in heaven I shall no larger grow
May my loved ones find comfort in the fact that I will not be suffering in heaven and that I am at peace.
And any kind angel you meet at the gate
May my family find comfort in the notion that there are kind angels waiting for them once they pass on.
Can take you to your darling Little Joe
May my family find their way to me again and reunite with me in the next life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILL MONROE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bluegrasscountryradio8806
Who is still listening this song 2021 - 2022 ??💕
If you are listening to this song you are definitely a legend
@jackcrane7853
Dint know I was a legend!!
@censoricban5240
Im still listening march 31 2022.. im from the philippines..
@DianaLee1966
I am definitely a legend in my own mind!
@multiplier100x9
I am legend
@shawnsartin7077
No other songs like these!! The best.😊
@Bruce-tb8nl
This beautiful believer will play for us in gloryland. Thank you Bill thank you
@Bruce-tb8nl
Jesus blessed us with you Bill
@wagon53417
Years ago Bill autographed a mandolin for me and he handed me his Gibson and asked me if I wanted to pick on his... I done a little bit of Blue moon of Kentucky...what a wonderful man
@ConnerAdams123
That's actually awesome