Today has been a lonesome day Today has been a lonesome day Today has been a lonesome day And tomorrow 's gonna be the same old way Oh, they carried my mother to the burying ground Oh, they carried my mother to the burying ground Oh, they carried my mother to the burying ground I watched as the bearers let her down Did you ever hear a church bell tone Did you ever hear a church bell tone Did you ever hear a church bell tone You may know by that she's dead and gone Oh, dig my grave with a silver spade Oh, dig my grave with a silver spade Oh, dig my grave with a silver spade And mark the place where i must lay There's one kind favor i ask of you There's one kind favor i ask of you There's one kind favor i ask of you See that my grave is kept green