[Verse 1]
The kindest person
The kindest person I ever knew was my grandmother, Mary
She came from the Azores Islands, off of the Portugal coast
And she and her husband worked on a little farm in the valley so green, called the San Joaquin
He was handsome and tall, and he played the guitar with ease
And she'd fallen in love when he sang in Portuguese:
[Chorus]
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Ate amanha miu amor, he sang in Portuguese
[Verse 2]
My grandfather passеd away before he had timе to grow old
The life of an immigrant farmer had taken a terrible toll
And Mary once told me she often would wake in the night
And she'd still hear him call through the dark down the hall
And she'd kneel by her bed and take out her rosary beads
And the tears would fall as she'd pray in Portuguese:
[Chorus]
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Ate amanha miu amor, he sang in Portuguese
[Bridge]
Oh, Mary, the church bells are ringing for Christmas
Mary, do you hear an angel's sweet voice?
Oh, Mary, I know you must leave when he calls
But I wish that somehow you could stay
'cause I loved you most of all
[Verse 3]
She lies so still now in her snowy white hospital bed (ate amanha miu amor)
With the life that she loved so much still going on in her head
She's there in her kitchen, and laughter is filling the room
Or her garden in spring with her roses in bloom
Now she smiles like she knows me, though I'm never sure who she sees
But her eyes still light up when I sing in Portuguese:
[Chorus]
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Ate amanha miu amor, he sang in Portuguese
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la
Ate amanha miu amor, he sang in Portuguese