(tony martin/carl sweat/brenda sweat)



Jacob was a dirt poor farm boy

Raised at the fork in the road in a clapboard house

And rachael was a land baron's daughter

Born with a silver spoon in her mouth

Her daddy said he wouldn't stand

For rachael to waste her life with a common man

He tried hard to keep them apart

But you can't draw lines in a young girl's heart



So late one night by the harvest moon

Jacob climed a ladder up to rachael's room

He knew his place, it was right beside her

Step by step up to her world

Head over heels for a brown-eyed girl

And gettin' caught didn't seem to matter

'cause heaven was waitin' at the top of jacob's ladder



It'll be five years september

Since her daddy found a ladder and a note on her windowsill

He swore he'd never forgive them

But nothin' melts a heart like a grandchild will

Now she climbs up on his knee

Says, "grandpa, tell a story, the one about me"

He thinks back and his eyes shine

Says, "listen child, once upon a time"



Late one night by the harvest moon

Your daddy climbed a ladder to your mama's room

He knew his place, it was right besde her

Step by step up to her world

Head over heels for my little girl

And here you are, that's all that matters

'cause heaven was watin' at the top of jacob's ladder



Oh, an angel was waitin' at the top of jacob's ladder


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