{t:Mama Tried} {st:Merle Haggard 1968} *{c:|ntro: / 1 2 / 1 2 / [G] / [G]} The first thing [G]I remember [C]knowin’ Was a [G]lonesome whistle [C]blowin’ And a [G]young-un’s dream of [C]growin’ up to [D7]ride [D7] On a [G]freight train leavin’ [C]town Not [G]knowin’ where I’m [C]bound And no [G]one could change my [D7]mind But Mama [G]tried [G] One and [G]only rebel [C]child From a [G]family meek and [C]mild My [G]Mama seemed to [C]know what lay in [D7]store [D7] In spite of [G]all my Sunday [C]learnin’ Toward the [G]bad I kept on [C]turnin’ ‘Til [G]Mama couldn’t [D7]hold me any-[G]more [G] {c:CHORUS:} {soc} And I turned [G]twenty-one in prison Doin’ [C]life without par-[G]ole No [Em]one could steer me right But Mama [D]tried, Mama [D7]tried Mama [G]tried to raise me better But her [C]pleading I de-[G]nied That leaves [G]only me to [D7]blame, ‘cause Mama [G]tried [G] {eoc} *{c:|: [G] /[G] /[C] /[C] /} *{c:|: [G] /[D7] /[G] /[G]} Dear old [G]Daddy rest his [C]soul Left my [G]mom a heavy [C]load She [G]tried so very [C]hard to fill his [D7]shoes [D7] Workin’ [G]hours without [C]rest Wanted [G]me to have the [C]best She [G]tried to raise me [D7]right, but I re-[G]fused [G] {c:CHORUS:} {soc} And I turned [G]twenty-one in prison Doin’ [C]life without par-[G]ole No [Em]one could steer me right But Mama [D]tried, Mama [D7]tried Mama [G]tried to raise me better But her [C]pleading I de-[G]nied That leaves [G]only me to [D7]blame, ‘cause Mama [G]tried [G]↓ {eoc} {t:Mama Tried} #~~~ChordPro Version UPDATED May 10, 2018 CEL~~~