Goin' Back Home (Live at Noise)

In the Deep South when I was growing up Looking back on the sweetness Looking back on the rough The sun going down, crickets at night Lawnmower sounds and mosquito bites Swatting at a fly, hearing the neighbors talk So hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk Outside playing barefoot in the street Tar would be sticking to the bottom of my feet Running and chasing after the ice cream wagon "Mama, can I have a quarter so that I can get me one?" On a good day mama'd make us sweet coffee milk On bad days she cussed when something got spilled And Daddy taught the Bible, Lake Charles to Monroe Shreveport to Slidell, Baton Rouge to Thibodaux He chewed tobacco and spit out in a can All the while hollering, "Don't let the screen door slam" Her daddy's kind didn't spare the rod Blinded by the fear and the wrath of the Lord He'd call her a sinner, say, "you're going to hell" Now finish your dinner and tell 'em you fell And when the blood came Her mama told her she was unclean And her mama would scold her Mama always felt Christian guilt And then put to bed under a homemade quilt God knows it rains in Louisiana But not enough to wash away the sins of the father And God knows momma loved her daughter And they say that blood is thicker than water Down in the Deep South when I was growing up Looking back on the sweetness Looking back on the rough