Chord/Tab song: Mama Tried

Mama Tried
By Jack Ingram
Written By Merle Haggard
rmofle at satx.rr.com
12/27/2004

Capo 3

The first thing [A]I remember [D]knowin' was a [A]lonesome whistle [D]blowin'
And a [A]youngun's dream of growin' up to [E]ride
On a [A]freight train leavin' [D]town, not [A]knowin' where I'm [D]bound
No [A]one could change my [E]mind but Mama [A]tried

One and only rebel child from a fam'ly meek and mild
My mama seemed to know what lay in store
In spite all my Sunday learnin' towards the bad I kept on turnin'
'Til Mama could not hold me anymore

Chorus:
And I turned [A]twenty-one in prison doin' [D]life without pa[A]role
No [F#m]one could steer me right but Mama [E]tried, Mama tried
Mama [A]tried to raise me better, but her [D]pleading I denied
And that leaves [A]only me to [E]blame cause Mama [A]tried

Dear ole' Daddy, rest his soul, left my mom a heavy load
She tried so very hard to fill his shoes
Workin' hours without rest, she wanted me to have the best
She tried to raise me right but I refused

Chorus

And that leaves only me to blamce cause mama tried