If You Tell

If you tell your momma, she will look away
If you tell your daddy, he won’t listen when you say
«How could it come to this?»
But now, this is the way it is
If you tell your brother, boy, will he get mad
If you tell your sister, the one you never had
How could it go this far?
And now, this is the way things are
If you tell your teacher, you’ll be made aware
If you tell your preacher, you haven’t got a prayer
If you tell your momma, laying it on the line
Tell it to your daddy, life has been unkind