Lyrics
America Walking By
By Richard Stekol
Mama will not kiss her son
She runs away from everyone
Lies in bed all night and day
Struck by what she cannot say
She raised him from her bended knee
Ran in the fields and swam in the sea
Combed his hair out of his face
Taught him how to love this place
Tucked him in when the nights were cool
Sang him to sleep and sent him to school
Gave her to only this one horse town
The day their gonna lay him down
Bundle up and dry your eyes
They’ll be teardops left to cry
Mama hold your head up high
There goes America walking by
Papa will not let us in
He’s locked himself in his room again
Framing pictures from yesterday
He’s got nothing left to say
Worked in the train yard sun to sun
Came home when the work was done
Pick his boy up overhead
Listen to each word he said
Now those words weave a web
Each night when he goes to bed
And in the richest dream of all
The boy comes when his papa calls
Bundle up and dry your eyes
They’ll be teardops left to cry
Papa hold your head up high
There goes America walking by
Sonny can’t come home tonight
But we’ll be leaving on the light
We’re still gonna save his place
We’re awake just in case
We’re praying thru our rage
To turn back one single page
Our world is torn apart
We’ll be gathered in our hearts
Folks blow kisses from the porch
But there’s no fire that can light the torch
Children hold your head up high
There goes America walking by
There goes America walking by