When I was a little boy my momma said to me
"Son I'm sorry but you must go. That's how it's meant to be.
You must go into the fields and fight for what is right.
Spill you blood to save our land. I'll pray for you at night."

Momma now I'm crying far into the night
Momma hear me crying I don't want to die

I picked up my knife and gun and I kissed momma good-bye
As I rode I turned to see a teardrop in her eye
I rode down to the army man I said "Hey, put me in the line."
He shook my hand and he called me son then he showed me where to sign.

Momma now I'm crying far into the night
Momma hear me crying I don't want to die

We were leaving town one day and the air was full of cheers
What was all that cheering for and what for momma's tears?
These thoughts came to me that day as we marched out of town
These thoughts came to me once more when I saw my friend shot down

Momma now I'm crying far into the night
Momma hear me crying I don't want to die

Do you really think it's right that men should die?
Do you think it's right that they should die and not know why?

We came into Gettysburg as the sun rose in the sky
The orders came - a bugle sounds - I wondered who would die
Now I'm lying on the ground there's a bullet in my side
I told myself I'd never die but now I know I lied

Momma now I'm crying far into the night
Momma hear me crying I don't want to die

Momma now I'm dying how can this be right?
Momma here me crying I don't want to die

Credits:

Todd Evans - Vocal, Guitar, Engineer, Producer
William Maxwell - Bass, Drums

Momma's Tears is pretty much the first song I wrote, or at least the first one I wrote that I can still remember how to play. There are a couple of others before it that have been lost over time. When I wrote this one I was really into the Grateful Dead and their ballads so it's no surprise I wrote a ballad myself. Although the setting for Momma's Tears is the U.S. Civil War the main character could be anyone who ever fought in any war.