Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Lovemongers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That day I'll always remember, yes I will
Cause that was the day, that my daddy died
I never got a chance to see him
Never heard nothin' but bad things about him
Momma I'm depending on you, to tell me the truth
Momma just hung her head and said, son
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Hey Momma!
Is it true what they say that Papa never worked a day,
in his life
And Momma, some bad talk goin' round town sayin' that
Papa had three outside children
And another wife, and that ain't right
Heard them talking Papa doing some store front
preachin'
Talked about saving souls and all the time reaching
Dealing in debt, and stealing in the name of the law
Momma just hung her head and said...
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Hey Momma,
I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave
Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal
To pay his bills
Hey Momma,
Folks say Papa never was much on thinking
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking
Momma I'm depending on you, to tell me the truth
Momma looked up with a tear in her eye and said, son...
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died, all he left us was alone
The Lovemongers' song "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" is a poignant tribute to a father who was always on the move, but left his family alone when he passed away. The lyrics are told from the perspective of the son, who never had a chance to get to know his father. The song starts with the son recalling the day his father died on September 3rd. He never got to see him, and all he's heard are bad things about him. The son then turns to his mother for the truth about his father's life, with a request to know more about the father he never knew.
The mother's response is that his father was a rolling stone, who never stayed in one place for long. Wherever he laid his hat was his home. At the time of his death, all he left was a sense of loneliness for his family. The son then questions his mother about rumors of his father's infidelity, fathering other children, and living a life without steady work, always chasing women and alcohol. But in the end, the son realizes that his father was who he was, despite all the rumors and the negative press, and accepts him as he was.
The song is a tribute to all fathers who may not have been perfect, but did their best to provide for their families. It highlights the undying need for children to know their fathers, whether they're around or not. It leaves a poignant message for all children to make the most of their time with their fathers, to appreciate them while they're around, and to celebrate them even when they're not.
Line by Line Meaning
It was the third of September
The singer remembers the date of their father's passing.
That day I'll always remember, yes I will
The singer will always remember the day their father died.
Cause that was the day, that my daddy died
The singer's father passed away on September 3rd.
I never got a chance to see him
The artist never had the opportunity to meet their father.
Never heard nothin' but bad things about him
The artist only heard negative things about their father from others.
Momma I'm depending on you, to tell me the truth
The singer trusts their mother to tell them the truth about their father.
Momma just hung her head and said, son
The singer's mother is ashamed to talk about their father.
Papa was a rolling stone, (my son)
The father was a wanderer who never settled in one place for long.
Where ever he laid his hat was his home
The father considered any place he visited his home for the time being.
And when he died, all he left us was alone
The father was not physically or emotionally present in his family's life.
Hey Momma!
The singer addresses their mother.
Is it true what they say that Papa never worked a day, in his life
There are rumors that the father never had a job.
And Momma, some bad talk goin' round town sayin' that Papa had three outside children
There are rumors that the father had children with other women.
And another wife, and that ain't right
There are rumors that the father had another wife, which was not acceptable.
Heard them talking Papa doing some store front preachin'
There are rumors that the father preached in front of stores.
Talked about saving souls and all the time reaching
The father spoke about saving people's souls and spent a lot of time doing so.
Dealing in debt, and stealing in the name of the law
The father was involved in illegal activities and used the law to his advantage.
Momma just hung her head and said...
The singer's mother is ashamed and cannot comment on the rumors.
Hey Momma, I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades
The father referred to himself as someone who knew how to do many things.
Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave
The artist wonders if the father's lifestyle contributed to his early death.
Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bills
People say the father would do whatever it takes to make ends meet.
Hey Momma, Folks say Papa never was much on thinking
People say the father did not use his brainpower much.
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking
The father's main activities were pursuing women and consuming alcohol.
Momma I'm depending on you, to tell me the truth
The artist still wants the full truth from their mother.
Momma looked up with a tear in her eye and said, son...
The mother is emotional and upset about the father's past and cannot say anything more.
Contributed by Jackson M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.