Skaggs, Ricky - Mother's Only Sleeping Lyrics

I learned this song in my early teens. No one knew I knew it. One night my mother nodded off in front of the t.v. and I started singing this. Never saw my Dad laugh so hard and long in my whole life. That was 60 years ago. Memories are sweet. I still love this old song.

A beautiful and sad song.

so amazing Ricky Skaggs as usual.....I love bluegrass and I love your music and your songs so much!!!

Resurrection

Ricky you are a rare talent you sound genuine

God Bless the Grand Old Opry.

A beautiful song! This is great.

tres belle chanson

I love blue-grass & this song is so sweet to hear Ricky , thnks so much !!! Only country music keeps me alive & may God bless all the country music singers' hearts !!!

THANKS God , for Ricky and Kentucky !

The best rendition of this song i've ever heard awesome Ricky Scaggs and kentucky thunder

The banjo is in the good hands/talent of Jim Mills!

I hunted many many arrowheads in front of your mom's house in the Ike Holler.......well done Ricky we are proud of you here in Lawrence co.

I recently had this played at my mother's funeral and I thank you Ricky for the song. I miss her dearly and will remember this song and mother forever. Arcadia, La.

my grandmother had this played at my great grandmas funral. this really hits the heart I miss her more and more everyday but she is alwase here in my heart

well, certainly a different song! Never heard this one before by any group. Interesting song. But where oh where  is Bobby Hicks fiddle player with Thunder? mosrite60

@mosrite60 its an old Stanley Brothers song, love the harmony, Jim Mills is great on banjo. Who is the guy singing harmony, he is really into it and has done a great job for many years

@Ned Kline That's Paul Brewster singing tenor. He sang the low part in the Osborne Brothers' trio for many years and prior to that worked with a really good band called the Knoxville Grass. He has been with Ricky for a long time.

Good Tune, Just Sad Lyrics

I would not play this for my mother

Great song Ricky Skaggs we love your music in the Netherlands

This CD is amazing… every song. Though this is my fav song on it.

Stop waffling and play..

This is Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder playing.

Ricky a legend in bluegrass music sounds awesome even with the old tunes. We are blessed to enjoy his great talent. Thanks for sharin.

even though this is an old song it really fresh, a joy not to have thump thump of drums

That thump is the upright bass.

Yes he was

Definetly reminds me of my dad's mom

Yes, that was the good old days.

Very much so. I love it, when Ricky sings Mother,s not dead, she,s only sleeping, I get goose bumps. I live in central Louisiana, & wish they would have blue grass music close by, so we couls go & listen to it.

There is a online blue grass radio st. Do a search

beautiful... just beautiful ...

Love singer an song

I grew up as a boy in Nashville watching the Flatt and Scruggs TV show on WSM-TV every Saturday evening at 6 p.m. Many wonderful memories of those days. And if one got up real early on weekdays, around 5:30 a.m., hey also had a WSM radio show for Martha White Flour every morning.

Music from a better time and better music, well said.

While mentioning the Bluegrass Greats, he failed to mention that the most followed recording of this song was probably by Carter and Ralph Stanley recorded back in the same years. That was how I learned the recording. Great performance here, as Eddie Stubbs would say this is the real deal.

Was Keith Whitley with them back then also?

I love this song, my mom doent though. She says moms not sleeping shes dead. But I love the song. I play it all the time I think it annoys her

Just awesome music and vocals, by the man himself
....ya gotta love it!!!

Skaggs is great. Love the guy singing with him.

Pete w , Paul Brewster, good huh?

Great, Fine, True Music from the States for all music lovers around the World. Thank you so much. Jo Luttringer (France) (for players : this song is in F)

great music

I remember Ricky starting out with Ralph Stanley and seeing them play at the shindig in the barn in lancaster pa they were great

That's no joke. I was born in 1941, and when I think about the universal respect for God that existed through the early '70's, the contrast with today makes it seem like it must have been a dream. Madolyn O'Hare was the only atheist anyone knew, and even people who had no relationship with God accepted that America was a Christian nation. It no longer is, but at least Bluegrass artists still sing one for Jesus at every concert.

the times were better because God was in them

A good rendition of a great classic as only Ricky could do it.

Hi again Sid. You sure do know how to pick great examples of the very best music ever. This is one of the few versions of that song that seems to me to be worthy to be compared to the Bill's and Lester's original vocal rendition. I believe that Colombia cut pretty much set the standard for bluegrass vocal blend. Thanks for posting. I know when I see your name on a heading I know that's a cut to listen to and probably put on my "favorites."

Thank God for Ricky Skaggs keeping Bluegrass going. I grew up playing Rock and Country. I just recently discovered Bluegrass and love getting on here and listening to all the music I missed.

YERHAW Just fell in love with bluegrass yall

That's usually the last modified date.

There will NEVER be another Ricky. Period.

sweet music and good to share

Feel it in my heart...true bluegrass.

You're smarter than I am. I forgot about the upload date being automatically displayed under the video, and looked at my archive where, for some reason known only to Microsoft, it says 10/16/2008. Thanks!

Great!!!

just the reverse for me. lost mom ( will be 3 years ago jan14. just before birthday. ) this hit home hard. dad however idk. it scares me deeply when he goes. i will have no one here. ( parent wise) will truly be on my own. as this song said. Amazong song Eh?

wow amazing music!

thank you thank you thank you...what a talent Ricky Skaggs possesses and with such humility

Thanks for posting this.

it pains me that i couldnt find this music ealier!!!!

@polmaccaba01~~~ I mean no disrespect but first you say it's bastardised celtic music and then go on to say Bluegrass is American. Can't have it both ways. How is it do you think these songs came to be? Bluegrass evolved from Welsh/Irish/Scots immigrants who passed them to their Welsh-American, Irish-American, and Scots-American children free and clear. Even the prefix "a" (as in "a-sleepin', a-sweepin', a-washin') used mainly in mtn-speak is a gift from our Celtic roots. Bastardised? Pffffttt.

Trisha H , whatever.

ricky scaggs has touched on a lot of things that weigh heavy on my mind. my father died in 89. my mother is still here, but it's just a matter of time. i know i will see them when i cross over.it is so hard to let go.his music moves me

rickey scaggs is the best country and gospel singer i have ever heard. period. he sings like he understands everyones problem. he is a humble man that sings through his heart. you can't do much more than that. you can tell he believes. and that is VERY AWESOME.

My mom used to play this on her banjo..and her and i used to harmonize to this song...brings tears to my eyes cause i miss her so much..then i seen this on here..and it brought back the memories of my mom..she passed away 12yrs ago in march and she's buried in North carolina at hanging Dog cematary..ricky skaggs is such a great bluegrass artist and picker too..love em:)

@MsJollycholly

You know what you're doing if you're checking these boys out! You should see this in person. They're awesome.

Love the music...have been playing bluegrass myself for 28 years.

@MsJollycholly Wonderful news!! Welcome to the Bluegrass family.

I'm new to this wonderful and truly American musical form. My daughter age 12 is taking banjo lessons and LOVES it. So here I am age 55, loving these pickers!

Lost my mother on friday. Born in Slickford Kentucky 1934..........This was her music. God bless country folks. Thank you Ricky Skaggs for keeping it alive.

@ 2:35, the man, the great Jim Mills.

@rmstudio I used to have a Flatt & Scruggs LP with this quote on it: "Our songs tell a story of this land and its folk." So much history and truth in those few words. And nobody is keeping that tradition alive today more than Ricky Skaggs.

real nice song he did

There are many great country performers out there but it really does not get any better than this -- a near perfect reproduction of the traditional sound. I don't always agree with everything about Ricky Skaggs -- but with his voice, his mandolin, and his flowing mane he seems the living spirit of Monroe - I wish he would slim down and give his heart a rest (<: Three cheers for the harmony too it was awesome. Great video.

Wow.... really nice.

@TheThurmond I believe it was October 2008.

So so true.

We used to joke (in later years of course) and say,"Mother's not dead,,,,we just lost her at Walmart!"

A country can be judged by its music

We used to make a bit of homespun humor with this song... "Mother's not dead, she only smells that way..." With the greatest respect, of course. Be sure to check out Jim Mills' new banjo book... very sweet.

Tears,.nothing but tears,..TY Ricky!!..makes ya wanna go back,..back to the "good ole days"....(RIP Grandma)

I just bought this album. Very well done!!!! I am meeting Ricky at Proctorville, Ohio. Jim Mills is also the best banjo player, i've talked and got to pick with him. He's the nicest guy!!

Thank You rmstudio. Ricky Skaggs is the real deal and he is truly talented. So are many of the artists in this video with him. Ricky Skaggs stayed true to his upbringing. We received from that his amazing talent for years and years.

Perfect example of what PURE TALENT is. No pops or razzle dazzle ..Just great vocals and talented musicians that love what they do. Such a beautiful song. Ricky Skaggs is incredible and extremely talented & humble. If you ever you get a chance to see this artist in concert DO IT!! It will be an experience you'll never forget. Outstanding & Amazing Talent. This is how it really is done..New country needs to look at this & re-evaluate. This is what COUNTRY is. Pure vocals and amazing music.

What a performance!

ahhhh good stanley brothers song!

looks like ben helsonfrom rohnda vincent and the rage.

where is andy leftwich

YOU ARE RIGHT

I don't think he ever left. Can you ever really leave what you are and who you are?

Ricky Skaggs is great.
Thankful that he came back to bluegrass.
Kentucky Thunder is the tightest band around.

Moving song, this is a great great version.
I'm going to see KT in Switzerland in september, hope they do some of the great 1946/7 material.

Great job by the best of the best! Thanks for posting.