Lyrics

Church by the Cumberland River
Terry LeMaster

Daddy was a working man who lived a simple life
Tractors in the morning, but the barrooms late at night
He never had a kind word that I ever heard him say
Me and momma learned to just stay out of his way

At the church by the Cumberland River where daddy got baptized
I never thought I’d see the day or the joy in mommas eyes
That river washed his sins away, in the early morning dew
If God can change a man like him, he can surely change me too

I grew up in his shadow and I learned to be like him
I never cared to plow the ground, but I shared his lust for sin
Two lonely people, now two full grown men
One day he got down on his knees, and I just looked at him

At the church by the Cumberland River where daddy got baptized
I never thought I’d see the day or the joy in mommas eyes
That river washed his sins away, in the early morning dew
If God can change a man like him, he can surely change me too

That Cumberland River preacher met dad in town one day
I don’t know what he said to him but daddys life was changed

I thought that I’d be smarter as I sat in that old church
Staring at the blood stained cross up on its lofty perch
I began to realize what the preacher said that day
I saw an old black bible and I found the urge to pray

At the church by the Cumberland River where daddy got baptized
I never thought I’d see the day or the joy in mommas eyes
That river washed his sins away, in the early morning dew
If God can change a man like him, he can surely change me too
If God can change a man like him, he can surely change me too