I remember when I was a lad

Times were hard and things were bad

But there's a silver linin' behind every cloud

Just poor people that's all we were

Tryin' to make a livin' out of black land earth

But we'd get together in a family circle singin' loud Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor

Me and little brother would join right in there

Singin' seems to help a troubled soul

One of these days and it won't be long

I'll rejoin them in a song

I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne No, the circle won't be broken

By and by, Lord, by and by

Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor

Me and little brother will join right in there

In the sky, Lord, in the sky Now I remember after work

Mama would call in all of us

You could hear us singin' for a country mile

Now little brother has done gone on

But I'll rejoin him in a song

We'll be together again up yonder in a little while Daddy sang bass, Mama sang tenor

Me and little brother would join right in there

Singin' seems to help a troubled soul

One of these days and it won't be long

I'll rejoin them in a song

I'm gonna join the family circle at the throne No, the circle won't be broken

By and by, Lord, by and by

Daddy'll sing bass, Mama'll sing tenor

Me and little brother will join right in there

In the sky, Lord, in the sky

In the sky, Lord, in the sky