I heard the old folks talking in our house the other night
About Adam in the scripture long ago.
The lady folks all abused him, said "He knowed it wasn't right,"
And, of course, the men folks they all said, "Dat's so."
I felt sorry for Mr. Adam, and I felt like putting in,
Because I know more than they do,
All about what made Adam sin:

Adam never had no Mammy, for to take him on her knee
And teach him right from wrong and show him
Things he ought to see.
I knows down in my heart — he'd-a let that apple be
But Adam never had no dear old Ma-am-my.

He never knowed no childhood round the ol' log cabin door,
He never knowed no pickaninny life.
He started in a great big grown up man, and what is more,
He never had the right kind of a wife.
Just suppose he'd had a Mammy when that temptin' did begin,
And she'd a come and told him,
"Son, don't eat that — that's a sin."

But, Adam never had no Mammy for to take him on her knee
And teach him right from wrong and show him
Things he ought to see.
I knows down in my heart — he'd-a let that apple be
But Adam never had no dear old Ma-am-my.