Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: GUEST,Dale Howe Oklahoma City
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 01:18 PM

My dad (Lon Howe) and sister (Pearl)used to perform this song in the early 1900's around Clinton Indiana. Here's the words that I have hand written by my late sister:

SUNBONNET MOTHER (G)

There's a faded old sunbonnet on a peg behind the door.
It's the one my sainted mother used to wear,
Then one day she hung it up and never took it down no more.
Since that day we've left it hanging there.

I seem to see her working round the old home place
When times were hard and things were in despair
She'd pull that old sunbonnet down low upon her face
To hide the worry that was written there.

Hard luck, hard times, and worry is all my mother had
Until that day she laid her burdens down.
Her tired old hands lay folded, her work on earth was through.
She's exchanged her old sunbonnet for a crown

God gives sun-bonnet mothers a special kind of love
To help them with the burdens they must bear
I hope he has a special place prepared for them above
They ought to get the best of it somewhere

Oh, God be good to mother, wherever she may be.
Grant her rest and comfort over there
And keep her the same sweet smiling angel
that she always seemed to be
In that old sunbonnet she used to wear.

Don Stover

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: bluerabbit10
Date: 04 Aug 08 - 11:12 AM

Thanks to Jed, Wanda and others for the help. This old guy will give it a try on my old banjo...Verne

Subject: Lyr Add: SUNBONNET MOTHER
From: GUEST,Wanda Sanders
Date: 02 Aug 08 - 12:33 PM

My husband and I perform at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, AR and I have sung this song many times. This is the version that I have:


1. Oh, there's a faded old sunbonnet on a peg behind the door.
It's the one my sainted mother used to wear,
And then one day she hung it up to never take it down no more.
Since that day it's been a hanging there.

CHORUS: Oh, God be with you, mother, wherever you may be.
Please give her peace and comfort over there and keep her
She's the same sweet smiling angel that she always used to be
In that old sunbonnet she used to wear.

2. I can see Sunbonnet Mother working round the old home place
When times were and things were in despair
She'd pull that old sunbonnet down low upon her face
To hide the worry that was written there.

3. Well, hard luck, hard times, and worry is all my mother had
Until that day she laid her burdens down.
Her tired old hands lay folded, her work on earth was through.
She's exchanged her old sunbonnet for a crown.


I do not remember where I got the original lyrics but I have so many old songs lyrics since I collect folk songs.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: JedMarum
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 11:17 PM

The lyrics I posted are as transcribed from the Don Stover album Things in Life.

There may well be other versions of the lyrics.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: topical tom
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 10:14 PM

The first two verses that I posted are verbatim the song as I heard it.Unfortunately, I do not recall the name of the performer.The chorus is also exactly as I heard it.The last verse I posted is not necessarily accurate, though.I do remember clearly the melody and it fits exactly those lyrics which I posted in the first two verses and the chorus.
Apparently there exists at least two different versions of the song.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: JedMarum
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 01:02 PM

... one more thing; the song is on the Things in Life CD

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: JedMarum
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 01:00 PM

Thanks to a good friend from Massachusetts for digging these lyrics up. We used to go see Don Stover at the Sticky Wicket on Sunday nights in a little old New England town - was it Hopkinton or Upton? I forget.

Anyway ... I hope these help!

Subject: Lyr Add: SUNBONNET MOTHER (Don Stover)
From: JedMarum
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 12:57 PM

SUNBONNET MOTHER
As recorded by Don Stover

CHORUS: O God, be good to mother, wherever she may be.
Please grant her peace and comfort over there—and keep her—
Just the same sweet smiling angel that she always seemed to me,
In that old sunbonnet that she use to wear.

1. There's a faded old sunbonnet on the peg behind the door.
It's the one my sainted mother used to wear,
Till one day she hung it up and never took it down no more,
And since that day it's still up hanging there.

2. God gave Sunbonnet Mother a special kind of love,
Until the day he laid her burdens down.
She would pull that old sunbonnet down low upon her face
To hide from us the weary written there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: topical tom
Date: 27 Jul 08 - 07:43 AM

I'm sorry to be doing this in "dribs and drabs" but it is as the memory returns to me.Here is another verse but I cannot guarantee the exact wording:
                I remember Mother toiling around the old home place
                When times were hard and we were in despair
                She'd tie that old sun bonnet up tight about her face
                To hide from us the worry written there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: topical tom
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 02:53 PM

Another version of the chorus:

                Oh God be good to Mother wherever she may be,
                God grant her rest and comfort over there
                And let her be that same sweet smiling angel she was to            
                me
                In that faded old sun bonnet she used to wear.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: topical tom
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 01:10 PM

I once knew and sang the entire song but I have long forgotten most of it. Here are a few lines that I remember:


There's a faded old sunbonnet on a peg behind the door;
'Tis the one my sainted mother used to wear.
One day she hung it up there and took it down no more
And since that day we've left it hanging there.

CHORUS (Jim Dixon above)

Hard luck, hard work and worry were all my mother knew
Until that day she laid her burden down.
Her tired old hands were folded; her work on earth was through;
She'd exchanged her old sunbonnet for a crown.

CHORUS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: JedMarum
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 11:41 AM

I love/d Don Stover - but can't help ya with the lyrics ...

I do have a bootleg copy of a video captured at a Don Stover tribute back in the 80's. Tony Trishka, Bella Fleck, Laurie Lewis and others on-stage playing singing and just having fun. Don joined in for a couple too ...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother (Don Stover)
From: bluerabbit10
Date: 25 Jul 08 - 12:29 PM

Thanks, Jim...now I have a start.
v.g.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother by Don Stover
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 21 Jul 08 - 08:22 AM

I transcribed this from a sound sample:

Oh God be good to Mother wherever she may be.
Please grant her peace and comfort over there, and keep her
Just the same sweet smiling angel that she always seemed to me
In that old sunbonnet that she used to wear.

Subject: Lyr Req: Sunbonnet Mother by Don Stover
From: bluerabbit10
Date: 19 Jul 08 - 09:17 PM

Another good song on Don Stover's "Things in Life" album. I have searched for lyrics; but no luck...Anyone familiar with this song?
Thanks,

Verne