Garth Brooks – Papa Loved Mama

“Papa Loved Mama” is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released in February 1992 as the fourth single from his album Ropin’ the Wind and also appears on The Hits, The Limited Series, Double Live, and The Ultimate Hits. It reached number 3 on the Billboard Country Charts. The song was written by Brooks and Kim Williams.

A trucker’s son reflects on a tragic incident he experienced as a child. His father worked as a truck driver and his time away drove his mother to commit adultery. Though his father would call constantly, the lyrics indicate “she needed more to hold than just a telephone.” One night, the father came home unexpectedly with roses and wine. He went upstairs for the mother (who was not home), but the children soon heard a bottle break against the wall. That night, the father drove his truck directly into the local motel room where his wife was with another man. The incident was covered in the paper the next day. The mother was killed and the father went to prison.

From the album Ropin’ the Wind
B-side “New Way to Fly”
Released February 3, 1992
Recorded 1991
Genre Country
Length 2:51
Label Liberty 57734
Songwriter(s) Kim Williams Garth Brooks
Producer(s) Allen Reynolds

Garth Brooks – Papa Loved Mama Lyrics

Papa drove a truck nearly all his life
You know it drove mama crazy being a trucker’s wife
The part she couldn’t handle was the being alone
I guess she needed more to hold than just a telephone
Papa called Mama each and every night
Just to ask her how she was and if us kids were alright
Mama would wait for that call to come in
When Daddy’d hang up then she was gone again
Mama was a looker
Lord, how she shined
Papa was a good’n
But the jealous kind
Papa loved Mama
Mama loved men
Mama’s in the graveyard
Papa’s in the pen

Well, it was bound to happen and one night it did
Papa came home and it was just us kids
He had a dozen roses and a bottle of wine
If he was lookin’ to surprise us, he was doin’ fine
I heard him cry for mama up and down the hall
Then I heard a bottle break against the bedroom wall
That old diesel engine made an eerie sound
When Papa fired it up and headed into town
Well, the picture in the paper showed the scene real well
Papa’s rig was buried in the local motel
The desk clerk said he saw it all real clear
He never hit the brakes when he was shifting gears
Mama was a looker
Lord, how she shined
Papa was a good’n
But the jealous kind
Papa loved Mama
Mama loved men
Mama’s in the graveyard
Papa’s in the pen