Merle Haggard — Mother the Queen of My Heart

[Verse] I had a home down in Texas Down where the bluebonnets grew I had the kindest old mother How happy we were, just we two Till one day the angels called her That debt we all have to pay She'd call me close to her bedside These last few words to say "Son, don't start drinking and gambling Promise you'll always go straight" Ten years have passed since we parted That promise I broke, I must say I started gambling for pastime At last, I was just like them all I bet my clothes and my money Never dreaming that I'd ever fall One night I bet all my money Nothing was left to be seen All that I needed to break even Was one card and that was a queen The cards were dealt round the table Each man took a card on the draw I drew the one that would beat them I turned it and here's what I saw I saw my mother's picture Somehow she seemed to say "Son, you have broken your promise So I tossed the cards away" My winnings, I gave to a newsboy I knew I was wrong from the start I'll never forget that promise To the mother, the queen of my heart Oh-de-lay-ee-oh