They were both made of leather Both black and fraid and warm I was brought up to respect them Since the day that I was born One came here for minglin’ It’s been handed down for years The other one was ordered from A catalogue at Sears When my mama read to me Well, I was well into my teens And I thought all the other one was for Was to hold up daddy’s jeans Till I told a lie and learned It had another purpose too And behind the shed, my daddy said Does it hurt me more than you?
‘Cause one had my daddy’s name on it The other said King James With love they taught us lessons But we feared them both the same One led us to heaven And the other hurt like hell But those were the days when kids were raised With a bible and a belt
I remember when I was twelve I stole a dime store comic book And how mama read what the scripture said To take back what I took When I refused my daddy took My arm and said “come on” I needed more, he knew than just Matthew Mark, Luke and John Sometimes it made me cry Sometimes it made me frightened mad I wish I’ve been raised without them Like some other children had But now I’m grown with kids of my own And I know just how they felt And though it seems to me that what the world still needs Is a bible and a belt
‘Cause one had my daddy’s name on it The other said King James With love they taught us lessons But we feared them both the same One led us to heaven And the other hurt like hell But those were the days when kids were raised With a bible and a belt