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   We'd get together in a family circle singin' loud      Daddy sang bass, mama sang tenor   And me and little brother would join right in there   All 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   Bye and bye Lord, bye and bye   Daddy'll sing bass, mama'll sing tenor   Me and little brother will join right in there   In the sky Lord, in the sky      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   And me and little brother would join right in there   All 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   Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye   Daddy'll sing bass, mama'll sing tenor   And me and little brother would join right in there   In the sky Lord, in the sky   In the sky Lord, in the sky