From the recording Daddy
I don’t remember hearing this song until our friend Rusty Hampton sang it for me. I immediately fell in love with it and learned a harmony part so I could sing it with him. It was Rusty’s idea to turn it into a duet, with me taking the second verse, and I think it works beautifully here. Nick Alberty delivers his usual stunning vocal performance and Rusty joins us with background vocals on the second verse.
Lyrics
The warden led a prisoner down the hallway to his doom
And I stood to say goodbye like all the rest
And I heard him tell the warden just before he reached my cell
Let my guitar playing friend do my request
Let him sing me back home with a song I used to hear
Make my old memories come alive
Take me away and turn back the years
Sing me back home before I die
I recall last Sunday morning a choir from off the street
Came in to sing a few old gospel songs
And I heard him tell the singer, there’s a song my mama sang
Could I hear it once before you move along?
Won’t you sing me back home with a song I used to hear?
Make my old memories come alive
And take me away and turn back the years
Sing me back home before I die