Don't put no headstone on my grave, 
All my life I've been a slave, 
Want the whole wide world to know, 
That I'm the man that loved you so 

Mama, mama, don't you cry, 
I'm gonna meet you in the by and by, in the sweet by 
and by 
Tell papa I'm comin' home, comin' on home, 
God, it can't be very long 

Don't put no headstone on my grave, 
All my life I've been a slave, 
Want the whole wide world to know, 
That I'm the stud that loved you so 

M,m,m,m,m,m mama don't you cry, 
Lord, I'm gonna meet you in the by and by, in the sweet 
by and by 
Tell papa I'm coming home, 
Oh God, it can't be very long 

Don't put no headstone on my grave, 
Whoooh! All my life I've been a slave, motherhumpin' 
slave 
And you know something? I want the world to know, 
That I'm the stud that loved that woman so 

Mama, mama don't you cry, mama, don't cry, 
I'm gonna meet you in the by and by, in the sweet by 
and by 
Tell papa, I'm coming home, Oh Lord, 
You know, it can't be very long 

(One more time now) 
Don't put a headstone on my grave 
All my liiiife I've been a slave, 
Want the whooooole wide world to know, 
That I'm the man, 
That loved, 
That loooved, 

Don't put no headstone on my grave, 
All my life I've been a slave, whoooh! 
I want the whole wide world to know, 
That I'm the stud that loved you so 

Ma-ma-ma-ma mama, don't you cry, whooh! Don't cry! 
I'm-a-gonna meet you in the by and by, in the sweet by 
and by, 
Tell papa I'm coming home, coming on home... 
...And you know something ladies? 
Oh, God, it can't be very loooong