Mother, The Queen Of My Heart - Merle Haggard, The Strangers

I had a home down in Texas down where the bluebonnets grew

I had the kindest old mother how happy we were just we two

Till one day the angels called her that debt we all have to pay

She’d call me close to her bedside these last few words to say.

Son don’t start drinking and gambling promise you’ll always go straight

Ten years have passed as we parted that promise I’ve broke I must say

I started gambling for past time at last I was just like them all

I bet my clothes and my money never dreaming that I’d ever fall.

One night I’ve bet all my money nothing was left to be seen

All that I needed to break them was one card and that was a Queen

The cards were delt round the table each man took a card on the draw

I drew the one that would beat them I turned it here’s what I saw.

I saw my mother’s picture somehow she seemed to say

Son you have broken your promise so I tossed the cards away

My winnings I gave to a newsboy I knew I was wrong from the start

I’ll never forget that promise to the mother the Queen of my heart.

Oh le-ee oh le-ee oh le-ee…