For my buddy (the great songwriter) Lee Doman. He shared a bit of his childhood story on Facebook, and I wrote this song for him.
Lyrics
MAMA'S RADIO
©2015 C. Daniel Boling - Perfectly Stable Music / ASCAP
Daddy was a dirt poor farmer preaching to the Kansas corn
Mama’d been a high school charmer, 32 when I was born
Grew up counting every penny, who’d feel any richer though
Listening to my favorite show on my Mama’s radio
I turned 14 in ’63, on my birthday Mama said
There’s no money for a present, I wrote you a poem instead
Mailed it to a competition – we might win, you never know
So we tuned in KCMO on my Mama’s radio
Life at home was rarely pretty, hand to heart I have to say
Just once heaven spared some pity – me and Mama won that day
Mama’s eyes filled up with tears – she hugged me like she’d seldom done
Laughing, crying all together – always know I love you, son
That’s one birthday I remember even now I’m getting old
Faith and fate combined with hope, and my own transistor radio
Looking back I know she loved me even times it didn’t show
I keep her picture and that poem right here on my radio
On my Mama’s radio