I.O.U. Song Lyrics

Jimmy Dean
Miscellaneous
I.O.U.
Many people look through their wallet or their pocket books and, way down at the bottom, past the
credit cards and baby pictures and so on, you usually find a little 'ol piece of dog-eared poetry.
I was cleaning out my wallet the other day and ran across a whole bunch of I.O.U's, some of 'em
thirty-five years overdue. And you know the funny thing, all these I.O.U's are owed to one person
and I kinda felt like that maybe now would be a pretty good time for an accountin'.

Mom, I sure hope you're listenin'.

Sweet lady, I.O.U. for so many things
A lot of services, like nightwatchman for instance
Lyin' awake nights, listenin' for coughs and cries and creakin'
floorboards hah-hah, and me comin' in too late.
Boy, you had the eye of an eagle and the roar of a lion,
But you always had a heart as big as a house.

I.O.U. for services like, uh, short order cook, chef, baker
For makin' sirloin out o' hamburger an' turkey out o' tuna fish,
And big ol' strappin' boys out of leftovers.

I.O.U. for cleanin' services,
The daily scrubbing of face and ears all work done by hand.
And for the frequent dustin' of a small boy's pants