Shirley Caesar Faded Rose song lyrics

story part 1

You know, all too soon seemly our children grow up overnight. They get married; some of them go to college. They move away from home to New York and Chicago and to some other places. But the saddest thing about it is that they forget that they have a darling mother back home. So it is I’m thinking about a young man who left and moved away to Germany, and while he was there, he was critically wounded so much so that the doctor said, “that he would never walk again”. He had braces on his legs and another sad thing happen to that young man, He lost his mother. And the family tried to get in touch with him but to no avail. And finally we see that young man standing with braces on his legs before a fresh grave, with on faded rose in his hand. As he began to drop the peddles from the rose on that grace, he began to talk to his mother. These are some of the words he was saying to his mother:

Peddles form this faded roses momma, is all I have to give, But momma I tried to give you flowers, every now and then. (Back ground repeats (now and then)) Oh yes I did.

If I had a million dollars, I would line your grave with gold, but wouldn’t wake you from your sleep, as eternal ages grow.

So peddle form this faded rose is all have to give. But momma I tried to make you happy, while you lived.

story part 2

You know while that young man stood there, dropping the peddles on the fresh grave, two of his sisters drove up in a big fine car, they got out and they put their arm about his shoulder. One of his sisters said “Brother don’t cry, said you know we did all we could to get in touch with you. But one thing I did, I knew that you would be pleased with, I took my diamond ring and placed it, on momma’s finger and the other sister said,” Brother, so do you remember that fur coat that I had, I draped it about momma’s shoulders, but the young man standing there crying, couldn’t think about diamonds and furs. All he could think of was the best thing he had was gone, and with the few more peddles left on the rose, he continue to drop them on the grave and he said to his mother:

Diamond rings and silver things momma, I never had, I never had to give, but momma I tried to give you a flower every now and then.

If I had a million dollars, I’d line your grave with gold, but that wouldn’t wake you from your sleep, as eternal ages grow.

Ending

So peddles form this faded roses is all I have to give, but momma I tried to make you happy, while you lived. (Back Ground singers repeat (While you live.))