album cover
Back Road Into Town
1,679
Soul
Back Road Into Town was released on January 1, 1974 by Craft Recordings as a part of the album City In the Sky
album cover
Release DateJanuary 1, 1974
LabelCraft Recordings
LanguageEnglish
Melodicness
Acousticness
Valence
Danceability
Energy
BPM72

Credits

PERFORMING ARTISTS
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
Performer
Roebuck Staples
Roebuck Staples
Vocals
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples
Vocals
Cleotha Staples
Cleotha Staples
Vocals
Yvonne Staples
Yvonne Staples
Vocals
Eddie Hinton
Eddie Hinton
Guitar
Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson
Guitar
David Hood
David Hood
Bass Guitar
Roger Hawkins
Roger Hawkins
Drums
Barry Beckett
Barry Beckett
Keyboards
Clayton Ivey
Clayton Ivey
Organ
The Memphis Horns
The Memphis Horns
Horn
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Osbie Burnett McClinton
Osbie Burnett McClinton
Composer
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
Al Bell
Al Bell
Producer

Lyrics

I asked mama many times
What kept papa so far behind
What in the world was holdin' my daddy down
Papa always dropped his head
Lord, he seemed so afraid
Like he was carryin' a heavy burden all the time
There was a man up in the big house
Your papa was afraid to speak out
The man kept my daddy's nose right on the ground
Girl, your papa, he was mighty good
He was doin' the best he could
All his life he lived just for you
But 12 kids, he had a heavy load
He couldn't walk the front row
On his face he always wore a frown
It was for you and the others, too
He was tryin' to make it through
He had to take the back road into town
Every year your papa would say
"Next year we're gonna move away
I wanna take my children away from here"
He said, "I've almost lost my fear
I think I see my way clear
I'm gonna take a stand and be a man"
But then the man would come from the big house
Daddy would always back out
And end right up again behind the plow
But 12 kids, he had a heavy load
He couldn't walk the front row
On his face he always wore a frown
It was for you and the others, too
He was tryin' to make it through
He had to take the back road into town
When he finally made up his mind
Your daddy had wasted too much time
Your papa just put it off a little too long
'Cause all the years that papa was sleepin'
Father Time kept right on creepin'
'Til it was time for him to lay his body down
He did it all against his will
He got lost back in them fields
My daddy never made it into town
12 Kids, he had a heavy load
He couldn't walk the front row
On his face he always wore a frown
It was for you and the others, too
He was tryin' to make it through
He had to take the back road into town
12 Kids, he had a heavy load
He couldn't walk the front row
On his face he always wore a frown
It was for you and the others, too
He was tryin' to make it through
He had to take the back road into town
12 Kids, he had a heavy load
He couldn't walk the front row
On his face he always wore a frown
It was for you and the others, too
He was tryin' to make it through
He had to take the back road into town
Written by: Osbie Burnett McClinton
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