Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead, mother's dead lord Motherless children have a hard time when mother's dead They'll not have no place to go, wanderin' around from door to door Nobody treat you like mother will, when Mother's dead lord Some people say that sister will do, but when mother is dead lord Some people say that sister will do, but when mother is dead lord Some people say that sister will do, soon as she's married, she turn her back on you Nobody treats you like mother will when, your mother is dead lord Father will do the best he can, when mother is dead lord Father will do the best he can, when mother is dead Father will do the best he can, so many things father don't understand Nobody treats you like mother will when... Motherless children have to wonder around when mother is dead Motherless children have to wonder around when mother is dead Motherless children have to wonder around so many friends that really turned them down Nobody treats you like mother will and mother is dead now Motherless children see the hard time, mother's dead now Motherless children see the hard time when mother's dead They don't have nowhere to go, wanderin' around from door to door Nobody treats you like mother will when your mother is dead, lord