Tell me how long had it been since you've been home Tell me how long had it been since you've been home You knew you could leave, you could be gone too long, too long from home You know my mama's got a rockin' chair sittin' by the window, rocks in the evenin' 'fore the sun go down Yes, poor old mama's got a rockin' chair sittin' by the window, rocks in the evenin' 'fore the sun go down She'll be thinkin' 'bout her poor childrens, wonderin' why they won't come around Oh, ooooh, yes Mama don't worry, please mama don't worry, mama don't worry, just pray for me I'm gonna try to make lot of happy I'm on pray with you, please my mama pray for me Mama she's still rockin', in that old rockin' chair Yes, she's still rockin', in that old rockin' chair She's thinkin' 'bout her childrens, wonderin' why aren't they over here My sister got worry, she began to pray Oh, yeah, mama know I've been away many day Oh, mama got worry, these the word my mama said Come on home children, my shack fallin' down Come on home, my shack fallin' down You know to send for my poor mama's cover so high Ain't none of her childrens around, but I'm hurryin', I'm goin' home