Mother the Queen of My Heart
Vernon Oxford and Merle Haggard Lyrics


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I had a home out in Texas,
Down where the blue bonnet's grew.
I had the kindest old mother;
How happy we were just we two.
Till one day the angels' called her,
That debt we all have to pay.
She called me close to hr bedside,
These last few words to say.

"Son, don't start drinking and gambling,
Promise you'll always go straight. "
Ten years have passed since that parting,
That promise I've broke, I must say.
I started gambling for pastime,
At last I was just like them all.
I bet my clothes and my money,fall.

One night I bet all my money,
Nothing was left to be seen.
All that I needed to break them was one card,
And that was a queen.
The cards were dealt all 'round the table,
Each man took a card on the draw.
I drew the one that would beat them;
I turned it and here's wat I saw.

I saw my mother's picture,
And somehow she seemed to say.
"Son, you have broken your promise,"
So I tossed the cards away.
My winnings I gave to a newsboy,
I knew I was wrong from the start.




And I'll ne'er forget that promise,
To Mother, the queen of my heart.

Overall Meaning

The song "Mother The Queen Of My Heart" is a classic ballad by Vernon Oxford and Merle Haggard. The song tells the story of the singer's relationship with his mother and the promise he made to her on her deathbed. The singer reminisces about his happy childhood with his mother in Texas, but when she passed away, she left him with a simple but powerful request. She asked him to promise that he would never start drinking or gambling. The singer, however, confesses that he broke that promise after ten years, and his life spiraled out of control. He became addicted to gambling and lost everything he owned, including his clothes and money. But one day, when he almost hit rock bottom, he saw his mother's picture on the card he drew for the final round of gambling. He realized that he had betrayed the only person who ever truly loved him, and he threw the cards away. He gave his winnings to a newsboy, and he promised to never forget this lesson.


The lyrics of "Mother The Queen Of My Heart" are a poignant reminder of the importance of family and the consequences of not honoring our promises. The song speaks to the emotional bond between a mother and a child, and how the memory of that bond can inspire and teach us even after we lose our loved ones. The singer's character arc shows that it is never too late to do the right thing, and that redemption is always possible.


Line by Line Meaning

I had a home out in Texas,
I used to live in Texas


Down where the blue bonnet's grew.
Near the region where bluebonnets were found.


I had the kindest old mother;
I had an extremely loving mother.


How happy we were just we two.
My mother and I were thoroughly happy without any other company.


Till one day the angels' called her,
But one day, the angels took her away from me.


That debt we all have to pay.
The inevitable dues we all owe.


She called me close to hr bedside,
Just before her passing, she summoned me to her side.


These last few words to say.
These were the very last words she would say to me.


"Son, don't start drinking and gambling,
My mother's last advice to me was to avoid drinking and gambling at all costs.


Promise you'll always go straight. "
She requested me to promise to lead an honest life.


Ten years have passed since that parting,
A considerable amount of time has passed since that moment of separation.


That promise I've broke, I must say.
Unfortunately, I must confess that I broke the promise she asked of me.


I started gambling for pastime,
Gambling started to become my hobby.


At last I was just like them all.
Before long, I was as addicted to gambling as everyone else around me.


I bet my clothes and my money,fall.
As a result, I was wagering everything I had.


One night I bet all my money,
On one fateful night, I bet all my assets.


Nothing was left to be seen.
I lost everything.


All that I needed to break them was one card,
If I had only drawn one particular card, I could have won.


And that was a queen.
The card needed to win was a queen.


The cards were dealt all 'round the table,
Each participant received cards for the game.


Each man took a card on the draw.
Finally, the participants exchanged one of their cards.


I drew the one that would beat them;
Luck was on my side, and I obtained the winning card.


I turned it and here's wat I saw.
When I flipped the card over, this is what I saw.


I saw my mother's picture,
An image of my mother was on the front of the card.


And somehow she seemed to say.
I had an eerie feeling as if she was speaking to me through the card.


"Son, you have broken your promise,"
Her voice echoed in my mind as she spoke my name and reminded me of my promise.


So I tossed the cards away.
Feeling guilty, I discarded the pack of cards altogether.


My winnings I gave to a newsboy,
With the prize money, I gave a tip to a young paperboy.


I knew I was wrong from the start.
I realized that I was always wrong in gambling, and eventually, it would cost me dearly.


And I'll ne'er forget that promise,
I swear to never forget my promise to my mother.


To Mother, the queen of my heart.
My mother, who meant everything to me, was indeed the queen of my heart.




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