I remember when I was a lad Times were hard and things were bad But there's a silver linin' behind every cloud Just poor people that's all we were Tryin' to make a livin' out of black land earth We'd get together in a family circle singin' loud Daddy sang bass, mama sang tenor And me and little brother would join right in there All singin' seems to help a troubled soul One of these days and it won't be long I'll rejoin them in a song I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne No the circle won't be broken Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye Daddy'll sing bass, mama'll sing tenor Me and little brother will join right in there In the sky Lord, in the sky I remember after work, mama would call in all of us You could hear us singin' for a country mile Now little brother has done gone on But I'll rejoin him in a song We'll be together again up yonder in a little while Daddy sang bass, mama sang tenor And me and little brother would join right in there All singin' seems to help a troubled soul One of these days and it won't be long I'll rejoin them in a song I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne No the circle won't be broken Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye Daddy'll sing bass, mama'll sing tenor And me and little brother would join right in there In the sky Lord, in the sky In the sky Lord, in the sky