I remember when I was a lad Times were hard and things were bad But there's a silver lining behind every cloud Just poor people that's all we were Tryin' to make a livin' out of black land dirt 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 Oh no, the circle won't be broken By and by Lord, by and by Daddy sang bass, mama sang tenor Me and little brother would 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 singing for a country mile Now little brother has done gone on But I'll rejoin him in a song And we'll be together again up yonder in a 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 Oh no, the circle won't be broken By and by Lord, by and by Daddy sang bass, mama sang tenor Me and little brother would join right in there In the sky Lord, in the sky In the sky Lord, in the sky...