OLD LETTER SONG
(Myra Smith / Margaret Lewis)


Linda Martell - 1970



I heard a corny old letter song on the radio a while back
I hadn't heard one in so long I wanted to laugh
You know the kind of song I mean
When they take a word like 'mother'
And say "M" is for the many things she did
And I thought to myself, "Oh, brother!"
Well, this one was about home
And I listened while the sad boys sang this song

"H" is for humble
For that's the kind of home
Where you learned to love one another
And lovin' makes you strong

"O" is for one and only
For that's the only one ever known
Where you have one father and one mother
To kiss away your tears when day is done

"M" is for the memories
That'll make your whole face keep alive
No matter how many wise guys try to line you up
For it's real out of sight

And "E" is for everything
For really that's what home is
No matter if you're the father
The mother or the kid

I was holding back the teardrops when the record stopped
And the last laugh was on me
For you see it had turned back the clock
And Mama was rocking me to sleep again
While Daddy, Daddy hummed along
And it sounded very much like this old letter song



(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - May 2019)