I wish I'd known the man a little better
That turned my mama on
He must have been a heck of a man
'Cause mama was a lady, don't you know

Mama was no prude, but she was proper
Never wore her dress too short
She didn't care if I did, but she'd have never taken a drink
Grandma Kate did the best she could to see mama grew up right
So she'd be fittin' one day for courtin'
And to wear some gentleman's ring

- Chorus -
I wish I'd known the man a little better
That turned my mama on
They say he was always laughing and sang a right nice song
I wish I'd known the man a little better
That turned my mama on
He must have been a heck of a man
'Cause mama was a lady, don't you know

I hear he came to town one day in a rusty old '49 Ford
Selling ladies shoes and assorted greeting cards
He was killin' good-lookin' and easy to like
And turnin' all the ladies heads
But he saw mama first and you've heard stories
'Bout how some of them travelin' men are

(Repeat Chorus)

Mama seemed to forget the things that Grandma Kate had always told her
She ran away one night with that travelin' man
hey bought gas at Reba's truck stop and drove to DeSoto County
But he brought her home next day, a lady, with a ring upon her hand

Mama told me how the fever took him when I was barely five
But I can remember him pitchin' me up and catchin' me
And I love to sit and listen to her tell me about my Daddy
She says he thought the sun must surely rise and set in me

(Repeat Chorus)