What's Your Mama's Name, Child?

What's your mama's name, child, what's your mama's name? Thirty some odd years ago a young man came to Memphis Asking ?bout a rose that used to blossom in his world People never took the time to mind the young man's questions Till one day they heard him ask a little green eyed girl What's your mama's name, child, what's your mama's name? Does she ever talk about a place called New Orleans Has she ever mentioned a man named Buford Wilson What's your mama's name, child, what's your mama's name? Twenty some odd years ago a drunkard down in Memphis Lost a month of life and labored to the country jail Just because he asked a little green eyed girl a question And offered her a nickel's worth of candy if she'd tell A year and some odd days ago an old man died in Memphis Just another wayward soul the county had to claim Inside the old man's ragged coat they found a faded letter That said you have a daughter and her eyes are Wilson green What's your mama's name, child? What's your mama's name, child, what's your mama's name?