[Verse 1]
It was the third of September
That day I'll always remember, yes I will
'Cause that was the day that my daddy died, yeah
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
Mama just hung her head, she said, "Son

[Chorus]
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was alone, yeah"
I said, Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was alone

[Verse 2]
Hey, mama
Is it true what they say? Papa never worked a day in his life?
And mama, some bad talk goin' 'round sayin' that
Papa had three outside children
And another wife, and that ain't right
Yeah, heard some talk about papa doing some storefront preachin'
Talking about saving souls and all the time leechin'
Dealing in dirt and stealing in the name of the Lord
Mama just hung her head, she said
[Chorus]
"Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was alone, yeah"
I said, Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was alone, yeah

[Verse 3]
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 and steal
Just to pay his bills
Hey mama, huh
Folks say papa never was much on thinkin'
Spent most of his time chasing women and drinkin'
Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth
Mama looked up with a tear in her eye and she said, "Son

[Chorus]
Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was alone, oh yeah"
I said, Papa was a rolling stone
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was alone, one more time, y'all
I said, Papa was a rolling stone, uh-huh, uh-huh
Wherever he laid his hat was his home
(And when he died)
All he left us was alone, yeah