Dear Mama Chords

[Intro]
F#                                                            B
When i was pregnant in jail i thought i was gonna have a baby and the baby would never be with me
D#m                 A#m                     D#m                   B             G#m
but I was quitted a month and 3 days before tupac was born, i was real happy, because i had a son
 
 
[Verse 1]
           A#m                       B
When I was young, me and my mama had beef
                G#m                    D#m
Seventeen years old, kicked out on the streets
                   A#m                              B
Though back at the time I never thought I'd see her face
                G#m                           D#m
Ain't a woman alive that could take my mama's place
               A#m                      B
Suspended from school, and scared to go home, I was a fool
         G#m                       D#m
With the big boys breakin' all the rules
       A#m                       B
I shed tears with my baby sister, over the years
       G#m                          D#m
We was poorer than the other little kids
         A#m                             B
And even though we had different daddies, the same drama
     G#m                       D#m
When things went wrong we'd blame Mama
       A#m                  B
I reminisce on the stress I caused, it was hell
G#m                       F#
Huggin' on my mama from a jail cell
    A#m               B           G#m
And who'd think in elementary, hey
                D#m
I'd see the penitentiary one day?
A#m                     B
   And runnin' from the police, that's right
G#m                         D#m
   Mama catch me, put a whoopin' to my backside
A#m             B
  And even as a crack fiend, Mama
G#m              D#m
You always was a black queen, Mama
A#m               B
   I finally understand
                     G#m                    D#m
For a woman it ain't easy tryin' to raise a man
    A#m              B
You always was committed
              G#m                D#m
A poor single mother on welfare, tell me how you did it
           A#m                   B
There's no way I can pay you back, but the plan
      G#m                       D#m
Is to show you that I understand: you are appreciated
 
 
[Chorus]
A#m  B      G#m         D#m            A#m
Lady, don't you know we love ya? (Dear Mama)
          B     G#m       D#m
Sweet lady, place no one above ya (You are appreciated)
      A#m  B
Sweet lady,
N.C.
Don't you know we love ya?
 
 
[Verse 2]
     A#m                         B
Now, ain't nobody tell us it was fair
                G#m                             D#m
No love from my daddy, ‘cause the coward wasn't there
           A#m                  B
He passed away and I didn't cry, ‘cause my anger
G#m                        D#m
Wouldn't let me feel for a stranger
             A#m                    B
They say I'm wrong and I'm heartless, but all along
      G#m                          N.C.
I was lookin' for a father, he was gone
  A#m
I hung around with the thugs
    B
And even though they sold drugs
N.C.
They showed a young brother love
        A#m
I moved out and started really hangin'
B                      G#m
  I needed money of my own, so I started slangin'
D#m                      A#m
  I ain't guilty, ‘cause even though I sell rocks
B                      G#m                    D#m
  It feels good puttin' money in your mailbox
              A#m
I love payin' rent when the rent is due
  B                        G#m                         D#m
I hope you got the diamond necklace that I sent to you
                  A#m
‘Cause when I was low you was there for me
B                    G#m
  You never left me alone, because you cared for me
D#m                          A#m
  And I could see you comin' home after work late
B                                  G#m                D#m
  You're in the kitchen, tryin' to fix us a hot plate
         A#m                             B
You just workin' with the scraps you was given
              G#m                  D#m
And Mama made miracles every Thanksgivin'
            A#m                     B
But now the road got rough, you're alone
                       G#m                  D#m
You're tryin' to raise two bad kids on your own
               A#m                   B
And there's no way I can pay you back, but my plan
N.C.
Is to show you that I understand: you are appreciated
 
 
[Chorus]
A#m  B      G#m         D#m            A#m
Lady, don't you know we love ya? (Dear Mama)
          B     G#m       D#m
Sweet lady, place no one above ya (You are appreciated)
      A#m  B
Sweet lady,
G#m               D#m
Don't you know we love ya?
 
 
[Verse 3]
                A#m
Pour out some liquor and I reminisce
B                                G#m                 D#m
  ‘Cause through the drama I can always depend on my mama
            A#m
And when it seems that I'm hopeless
B                            G#m                  D#m
  You say the words that can get me back in focus
           A#m
When I was sick as a little kid
B                             G#m                         D#m
  To keep me happy there's no limit to the things you did
           A#m
And all my childhood memories
B                     G#m                         D#m
  Are full of all the sweet things you did for me
         A#m             B
And even though I act crazy
                  G#m                  D#m
I gotta thank the Lord that you made me
             A#m                          B
There are no words that can express how I feel
                 G#m                   D#m
You never kept a secret, always stayed real
           A#m
And I appreciate how you raised me
B                   N.C.
  And all the extra love that you gave me
       A#m
I wish I could take the pain away
B                                G#m                           D#m
  If you can make it through the night, there's a brighter day
                     A#m
Everything will be alright if you hold on
B                       G#m                D#m
  It's a struggle every day, gotta roll on
               A#m                   B
And there's no way I can pay you back, but my plan
N.C.
Is to show you that I understand: you are appreciated
 
 
[Chorus]
A#m  B      G#m         D#m            A#m
Lady, don't you know we love ya? (Dear Mama)
          B     G#m       D#m
Sweet lady, place no one above ya (You are appreciated)
      A#m  B
Sweet lady,
N.C.              D#m
Don't you know we love ya?
                       A#m   B   G#m   D#m   (x3)
Sweet lady, lady (Dear Mama)
X