Left at the door of a stranger
I was left there in the middle of the night
left by someone who couldnt keep me
but what she did turned out just right
in a little southern town by a river
in a building called sheer croppers shack
lord i was raised from a babe to manhood
by a mama who was black
to me she was my mama
though blood didnt do this
she had love that was more than sufficient
from a mama who was black
I never knew brothers and sisters
I never had a dad to call my own
but as long lord as i can remember
black mama she made a good home
Im sure that most folks it looked different
when they saw me upon her old knee
for as I grew up and we traveled around
when they saw black mama and me