Oh what a wonderful happy day up there on the golden strand
When I can hear Jesus my Saviour say shake hands with mother again
She never closed her eyes at night till we were all in bed
On partly nights till we came home she often sat and read
We little thought about it then when we were young and gay
How much mama worried when we children were away
We only knew she never slept when we were out at night
And that she waited just to know that we come home all right
Why sometimes we stayed out till one two or three
And it seemed to us that mama heard the turning of the key
For always when we stepped inside she'd call and we'd reply
But we were all too young back then to understand just why
Until the last one had reuturned she always kept the light
For mama couldn't sleep until she kissed us all goodnight
She had to know that we were safe before she went to rest
She seemed to fear the world might harm the ones she loved the best
And once she said when you have grown to women and to men
Perhaps I'll sleep the whole night through I may be different then
And so it seemed that night or day we knew a mother's care
That always we got back home we'd find her waiting there
Then came the night when we were called together around her bed
The children all are with you now the kindly doctor said
And in her eyes there gleamed again the old time tender light
That told that she had been waiting just to know we were all right
She smiled the old familiar smile then prayed to God to keep
A safe from harm throughout the years and then she went to sleep
Shake hands with mother again
When I can hear Jesus my Saviour say shake hands with mother again
She never closed her eyes at night till we were all in bed
On partly nights till we came home she often sat and read
We little thought about it then when we were young and gay
How much mama worried when we children were away
We only knew she never slept when we were out at night
And that she waited just to know that we come home all right
Why sometimes we stayed out till one two or three
And it seemed to us that mama heard the turning of the key
For always when we stepped inside she'd call and we'd reply
But we were all too young back then to understand just why
Until the last one had reuturned she always kept the light
For mama couldn't sleep until she kissed us all goodnight
She had to know that we were safe before she went to rest
She seemed to fear the world might harm the ones she loved the best
And once she said when you have grown to women and to men
Perhaps I'll sleep the whole night through I may be different then
And so it seemed that night or day we knew a mother's care
That always we got back home we'd find her waiting there
Then came the night when we were called together around her bed
The children all are with you now the kindly doctor said
And in her eyes there gleamed again the old time tender light
That told that she had been waiting just to know we were all right
She smiled the old familiar smile then prayed to God to keep
A safe from harm throughout the years and then she went to sleep
Shake hands with mother again