Mother's Children Have A Hard Time
Traditional 
recording of 19 
from 
Complete Recordings of Blind Willie Johnson (Columbia C2K-52835) 
Well, well, well, ah 
A motherless children have a hard time 
Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead 
They'll not have anywhere to go, wanderin' around from door to door 
Have a hard time 
Nobody on earth can take a mother's place when, when mother is dead, Lord 
Nobody on earth takes mother's place when, mother's dead 
Nobody on earth takes mother's place, 
when you were startin', paved the way 
Nobody treats you like mother will when 
Your wife or husband may be good to you, when mother is dead, Lord 
They'll be good to you, mother's dead 
A wife or a husband may be good to you, 
but, better than nothing has proved untrue 
Nobody treats you like mother will when, when mother is dead, Lord 
Lord, Lord, Lord 
Yeah, well, ah 
Well, some people say that sister will do, when mother is dead 
That sister will do when mother's dead 
Some people say that sister will do, 
but, as soon as she's married, she turn her back on you 
Nobody treats you like mother will 
And father will do the best he can, when mother is dead, Lord 
Well, the best he can when mother is dead 
Father will do the best he can, 
so many things a father can't understand 
Nobody treats you like mother will 
A motherless children have a hard time, when mother is dead, Lord 
Motherless children have a hard time, mother's dead 
They'll not have anywhere to go, 
Wanderin' around from door to door 
Have a hard time