Lyrics Papa Was a Rollin Stone (Live) - The Temptations

It was the third of September
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
Mama I'm depending on you, to tell me the truth
And Momma just hung her head and said
"Son, Papa was a rolling stone.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was alone.
Papa was a rolling stone, my son.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was alone."
Well, well
"Hey Mama, is it true what they say,
That Papa never worked a day in his life?
And Mama, 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 leaching
Dealing in debt, and stealing in the name of the Lord"
Mama just hung her head and said
"Papa was a rolling stone, my son
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was alone.
Hey, Papa was a rolling stone, my son.
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was alone."
Uh
"Hey Mama, 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 Mama, folks say that Papa never was much on thinking
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinking
Mama I′m depending on you to tell me the truth"
And Momma looked up with a tear in her eye and said
"Son, Papa was a rolling stone
(Well, well, well, well)
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was alone
Lone, lone, lone, alone
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was alone
I said, Papa was a rolling stone, yes he was
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
And when he died all he left us was alone."
My daddy was
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home