Many years ago when my daddy died
I caught myself a freight train and my mama cried
Lookin' back it all looks like a marathon
And it started all with an E chord I learned from Uncle John
Now John had a lot of gumption and he gave me some
And he taught me "Rubber Dolly" and a guitar run
A river bank in those days wadn't my love, boo
But he shared his kitchen table and his family too
Now, right here and now it's thanks to Uncle John
To Claudia, Doug, Norman, Joe and Lillian
Now John Burke was really not my uncle but we were kin
'Cause he shared his home and family and he took me in
Many years ago when my daddy died
I caught myself a freight train and my mama cried
And looking back it all looks like a marathon
And it started all with a blues chord that I learned from my Uncle John
"Rubber Dolly", yes
"Rubber Dolly"