The Photograph - (by Darrell W. Gable & Tory R. Stinnett)

Mama always told me of a long and dusty road
that her and Daddy travelled on so many years ago.
Well, I never understood her, never did I see
until I saw the photograph that she gave to me.

It was back in '37, Lord, the dust was blowin' hard.
Mama stood beside him, as they left the family farm.
Daddy held a suitcase, while Mama held her pain,
she told me they were leavin' because the sky just
would not rain.

Chorus
There are lines on their faces
so you can't deny the pain,
and the tear in her eye, she never did explain.
But there is love everlasting
in that beat up, battered frame,
I can see it all in the photograph
that's hangin' on the wall.

She said the hard times were many
and the peaceful times were few,
they were bound for California
there was nothing left to do.
Tho' some never did recover from that
Summer of the sand.
They all learned together how to give a helping hand.

Questions

• What is typical of Country 'n' Western songs like The Photograph?
• Try and tell the story of this song in your own words.
• What sequences of the program can you remember that are reflected in this song?