Night I Learned How Not to Pray

Intro : I was laying on my belly in the middle of the living room floor I was watching Howdy Doody so I'm guessing it was right around four  When I saw my baby brother tumbling from the top of the stairs   He was lying limp and silent and the blood was trickling through his shiny hair When my mom saw my little brother she said you better run and get your dad And her voice was high and she was shaking so I knew this was bad   Well we stood out by the mailbox watching her and dad and brother drive away  And I didn't waste no time I got down on my knees right there and I began to pray Well I prayed into the evening never even took the time to have a bite I was sure if I prayed hard enough that God would make it right  We were at the kitchen table long past bedtime when we finally got that call   And I knew that it was over when my sister slammed that phone against the wall  That night I learned how not to pray God does what he wants to any way  And I never did tell my mother I kept it from my sisters and all my brothers That was the night I learned how not to pray             It was 41 years later when I took my brothers picture out of that box Hung it on the wall sat across from him and I began to talk   When the evening started I didn't know what I was going to say  But before the night was over I told them all about how I learned not to pray  That night I learned how not to pray God does what God wants to  don't he any way  And I never did tell my mother I kept it from my sisters and all my brothers That was the night I learned how not to pray  That was the night I learned how not to pray  Whoa oh That was the night I learned how not to pray