Mama Was Always Tellin’ Her Truth Iris DeMent

[Verse 1]
Well my mama she was always telling her truth
Times were hard and that's how she made it through
When it came to her feelings, wasn't no back burner on that stove
When something went wrong and she might start yelling or crying
If you didn't know better, you'd think one of us was dying

But that was mama and she just told her truth
I would sit in the church house right there beside her
Mama would move when the spirit would guide her
Waving her hands up to heaven singing her tune
But if the preacher said something and she didn't like
Her head would go to shaking, she just wouldn't hide it

That was mama and she just told her truth
When I was a kid coming in from school, I said
'Mama, I'm so worried something could happen to you!
And if you die, oh Mama, what am I gonna do?'
She said, 'Iris just because I'm older than you
Don't be sure you won't go before I do'
That was mama and she just told her truth

[Chorus]
It was my mama who taught me that I could tell my truth
Sometimes it;s all that I could do
Looking in from the outside, it might not seem like much
But I'll tell ya now, if that's what you're thinking
The truth can be the difference between swimming and sinking
I think my mama just told her truth