I wish I'd known a man a little better to turn my mama on He must have been a heck of a man, cause mama was a lady, don't you know? Mama was no brute, but she was brava, never wore her dress to a show She didn't care if he 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 I wish I'd known a man a little better to turn my mama on He was always laughin' and sang the right sweet song I wish I'd known a man a little better to turn 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 Sellin' lady shoes and assorted beating cars He was killin' good-lookin' and easy to like and turnin' all the ladies' heads But he saw them all first, and Lord knows how some of them trappin' me now I wish I'd known a man a little better to turn my mama on He was always laughin' and sang the right sweet song I wish I'd known a man a little better to turn my mama on He must have been a heck of a man, cause mama was a lady, don't you know? Mama seemed to forget the things that Grandma Kate had always told her She ran away one night with a travelin' man They bought gas at Rita's Truck Stop and drove through DeSoto County But he brought her home with a ring upon her hand Mama's told me how the fever took him when I was barely five But I remember him pitchin' me up and catchin' me And I love to sit and listen to her tell me about my dad She says he thought the sun was surely risin', said me I wish I'd known a man a little better to turn my mama on He must have been a heck of a man, cause mama was a lady, don't you know? I wish I'd known a man a little better to turn my mama on He must have been a heck of a man, cause mama was a lady, don't you know?