Smoky Mountain Memories Lyrics

But, anyhow, it was thinking like that
And my mama′s being able to help my dad, that got us through
Because, like I said, raising a house full of kids like that
My dad was just a farmer, and Daddy never was able to read and write
But he happened to be one of the smartest people I ever knew in spite of that fact

But he worked on the farm mostly, and as the kids started to multiply
Well, he worked on construction
He'd get up way ′fore daylight and work on the farm
And he'd go work all day on the construction job
Come back home work way after dark
But, anyhow, he was a very hard worker
My dad never told us he loved us
Never heard those words from my dad
But I don't ever remember a time I didn′t know it

We could see it in Daddy′s eyes
We could just hear it in his voice, and just the way that he worked for us
He just wasn't a man to kinda get that stuff out like that
But we always knew it, and we loved him dearly

But my dad passed away two years ago, last month
And we miss him a lot, it′s just like he's still here, really
′Cause I'm always saying stuff that sounds just like Daddy, doing stuff
And look in the mirror, I got my daddy′s eyes
Without all this gook on 'em
But in the end, I see him everywhere and think about him

I remember, one time, that-, when the family was multiplying
A lot of men-folk around all the Southern country-, or, counties
Were going up to Detroit, Michigan, to work at the Ford plant
And my dad had a couple of brothers and friends that had gone up there
And a lot of country people were glad to get out of the mountains
They didn't like being hillbillies
They wanted to, you know, to do something else
And that was fine

But my dad never had been out of the Smoky Mountains, where he was born and raised
And he loved the hills, so he thought, "Well, I′ll try it, I reckon
And if I do alright, I′ll bring my family to Detroit"
Well, that lasted about two weeks
Daddy got so homesick, he almost died
He said, "I'm going back to the Smoky Mountains
And I′ll live and die there in them hills
Raise my kids the best way I know how"

And I wrote this about that time of my dad's life
So we′ll dedicate it to all the hardworking folks out there
It's called "Smoky Mountain Memories," and this is always for Daddy

"You ought to go North," somebody told us
"′Cause the air is filled with gold dust
And fortune falls like snowflakes in your hands"
Now, I don't recall who said it
But we'd spent our lives on credit
So we just headed out to find our Promised Land

Just poor Smoky Mountain farm-folk
With nothing more than high hopes
So we hitched our station wagon to a star
But our dreams all fell in on us
′Cause there was no Land of Promise
Lord, it′s a struggle just keepin' sight of who you are

Oh, and these Northern nights are dreary
My old Southern heart grows weary
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I know that they all love me
And I know they′re thinking of me
And Smoky Mountain memories keep me strong

You know, I've been thinkin′ just a whole lot lately
About what's been and what awaits me
It takes all I′ve got to give what life demands
Lord, you'd go insane if you give in to it
Life's a mill, and, brother, I′ve been through it
Oh, I′m just thankful I'm creative with my hands

Oh, and these Northern nights, they′re dreary
These old Southern eyes are teary
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I'll keep leanin′ on my Jesus
I know He'll love and guide and lead us
And Smoky Mountain memories keep me strong

If I′ll keep looking to the Father
He'll keep my head above the water
While these Smoky Mountain memories keep me strong
My home, sweet home