The ladies of the garden club say his home is just a disgrace to the townIf the mayor wants re-elected, he better pass some laws and tear it downThey want to cover it with flowers, maybe even plant some dogwood treesI guess that they've forgotten when we were kids what that place used to beI know it's just a shanty now, but lord that place was built with human tearsFor it's the home of Uncle Lem who was born and raised and lived there ninety yearsThere's not a boy in this whole town who hadn't stopped for water at his wellOr sat on his porch in the evening and listened to the stories that he'd tellHis hair was the color of cotton fields and his skin was old and brownAnd he was born in that run-down shack before there was a townHe bought that shack and piece of earth for the highest price he paidHis mom was bought and sold there, Uncle Lem was born a slaveThe mayor and some ladies of the garden club went out to that old shack to tell Uncle LemThat he'd have to find another place to liveBut they found him there in that old broken-down rocking chairAnd on an old brown paper sack, they found his wellNow I want to leave my old shotgun to the fine mayor of this townFor I remember when he was just a little fella, he used to follow me aroundLord I wish I had more to leave to my friends that I loveLord all I've got is this old shack and piece of earthAnd I want it to go to the ladies of the garden clubHis hair was the color of cotton fields and his skin was old and brownAnd he was born in that run-down shack before there was a townHe bought that shack and piece of earth for the highest price he paidHis mom was bought and sold there, Uncle Lem was born a slaveHis mom was bought and sold there, Uncle Lem was born a slave