what's your mama's name child

what's your mama's name

thiry some odd years ago

a young man came to memphis

askin bout a rose that used to blossom

in his world

people never took the time

to mind the young man's questions

until one day they heard him ask

a little green eyed girl

what's your mama's name child

what's your mama's name

does she ever talk about

a place called new orleans

has she ever mentioned

a man named bueferd wilson

what's your mama's name child

what's your mama's name

twenty some odd years ago

a drunk went down in memphis

lost a month of life and labor

to the county jail

just because he asked a little

green eyed girl a question

and offered her a nickel's

worth of candy if she'd tell

a year and some odd days ago

an old man died in memphis

just another wayward

so the county had to claim

inside the old mans ragged coat

they found a faded letter

it said you have a daughter

and her eyes are wilson green

what's your mama's name child

what's your mama's name

does she ever talk about

a place called new orleans

has she ever mentioned

a man named bueferd wilson

what's your mama's name child

what's your mama's name