[Verse 1]
Don't sing love songs, you'll wake my mother
She's sleeping here right by my side
And in her right hand, a silver dagger
She says that I can't be your bride
[Verse 2]
All men are false, says my mother
They'll tell you wicked, lovin' lies
The very next evening, they'll court another
Leave you alone to pine and sigh
[Verse 3]
My daddy is a handsome devil
He's got a chain five miles long
And on every link, a heart does dangle
From another maid he's loved and wronged
[Verse 4]
Go court another tender maiden
And hope that she will be your bride
For I have been warned and I've decided
To sleep alone all of my life
[Outro]
I think my mother was so brave, Jessica
Ya know, and if you know what was going on in 1950 with unwed mothers, you would think she was the bravest person you ever knew
Because for nine months, and I'm gonna cry, for nine months she carried me and nobody knew
Nobody knew until the day I was delivered
She didn't tell her father for almost three years
So Granny never told you who your biological father was or what he did, she went to the grave with that secret, she had your birth certificate sealed
It was fine with me, Jessica
My mother didn't marry him for a reason
You can read history about then, it was a terrible time for women… please
You married for money
You were kind of chattel
Something was wrong with you if you didn't get married
I just think my mother was so brave and so strong
Lyrics provided by LRCLIB
