I've been reading through old threads about Iris DeMent, and I ran across this old unfulfilled request. I can't supply chords, but we should probably have these words recorded here anyway:


LETTER TO MOM
As recorded by Iris DeMent on "The Way I Should" (1996)

I wrote my mother yesterday
'Cause I had some things that I had to say
And I know that when she reads them she's gonna cry,
But in the end, I hope she sees
That I'm just trying to break free
'Cause I've been walking 'round with secrets now, too long.

Back when I was barely ten,
Mom brought home a new boyfriend,
And I know that times were bad and he made her feel good,
But one night he climbed into my bed
And he left me wishing I was dead,
And I've been walking 'round with secrets now, too long.

You say I'm digging up the past
And it's not wise to go back,
But for me, it's just as close as yesterday,
And I'm not the kind for breaking rules,
And I'm not wanting to be cruel
I've just been walking 'round with secrets now, too long.

All my life I've felt ashamed,
'Cause I thought I was the one to blame,
And I vowed to God that no one else would ever know
How he crushed my childish pride
And he left me tears that never dried,
And I've been walking 'round with secrets now, too long.

You say I'm digging up the past
And it's not wise to go back,
But for me, it's just as close as yesterday,
And I'm not the kind for breaking rules,
And I'm not wanting to be cruel,
I've just been walking 'round with secrets now, too long,
And I've just been walking 'round with secrets now, too long.