Many years ago when my daddy died,
I caught myself a freight train and my mama cried.
Looking back, it all looks like a marathon,
And it started all with an E chord I learned from Uncle John.
Now John had a lot of gumption and he gave me some,
And he taught me "Rubber Dolly" and a guitar run.
A river bank in those days, wadn't my love, [boo?]
But he shared his kitchen table and his family, too.
Now right here 'n' now, it's thanks to Uncle John,
To Claudia, Doug, Norman, Joe, an' Lilli-an.
Now John Burke was really not my uncle, but we were kin,
'Cause he shared his home and family and he took me in.
I caught myself a freight train and my mama cried.
Looking back, it all looks like a marathon,
And it started all with an E chord I learned from Uncle John.
Now John had a lot of gumption and he gave me some,
And he taught me "Rubber Dolly" and a guitar run.
A river bank in those days, wadn't my love, [boo?]
But he shared his kitchen table and his family, too.
Now right here 'n' now, it's thanks to Uncle John,
To Claudia, Doug, Norman, Joe, an' Lilli-an.
Now John Burke was really not my uncle, but we were kin,
'Cause he shared his home and family and he took me in.