Son of Hickory Holler's Tramp 2/4 Kenny Rogers Standard Tuning No Capo Transcribed by Ken Lee / D / / G / D The / corn was dry, the / weeds were high when / Daddy took to / drinkin' / D / / G / A7 When / him and Lucy / Walker, they took / up and run a - / way. D5 / / G5 / D5 Mama cried a / tear and then she / promised fourteen / children, / G5 / A5 / D5 "I / swear you'll never / see a hungry / day." Chorus: / D / / G / D Oh, the / path was deep and / wide, from footsteps / leading to our / cabin, / G5 / A5 / D5 A - / bove the door there / burned a scarlet / lamp, and D5 / / G5 / D5 Late at night, a / hand would knock and / there would stand a / stranger, G5 / A5 / D5 I'm the son of / Hick'ry Holler's / tramp. D5 / / G5 / D5 Mama sacri - / ficed her pride, and / neighbors started / talkin', / D / / G / A7 But / I was much too / young to under - / stand the things they / said, / D / / G / D The / things that mattered / most of all was / Mama's chicken / dumplin's, and / G5 / A5 / D5 A / goodnight kiss be- / fore we went to / bed. / D / / G / D When / Daddy left, and / destitution / came upon our / fam'ly, D5 / / G5 / A5 Not one neighbor / volunteered to / give a helpin' / hand, / D / / G / D So / let 'em gossip / all they want; she / loved us and she / raised us. / G5 / A5 / D5 The / proof is standing / here, a full grown / man. / D / / G / D Last / summer Mama / passed away and / left the ones who / loved her, D5 / / G5 / A5 Each and ev'ry / one is more than / grateful for his / birth, / D / / G / G Each / Sunday she receives a / fresh bou - / quet of fourteen / roses, and / G5 / A5 / D5 A / card that says, " To the / greatest Mom on / earth." Chorus: