Oh lord I'm so lonesome My wife went to heaven one year today Songbirds sing their sadness Walkin up this hill on decoration day My children know not the reason The fast train took their mother away On her grave we'll place new flowers Walking up this hill on decoration day My babies ask me about her each night when they kneel down to pray Oh lord I have no answer climbing up this hill on decoration day Later that night dad took his own Life worried and sick since mom went away Left eight little children to face life Together and walk up this hill next decoration day Early in springtime when flowers were bloomin they'd pick roses for Their loved ones on their way but this year there's a new grave stone Standin on this hill on decoration day . Twenty years later the family came to see us, With roses in their hands you could almost hear them say It's so sad to place new flowers up on this hill on decoration day.