Mama Tried Chords

Mama Tried
Written & performed by Merle Haggard
c 1968 Tree Publishing Co., Inc.
 
[Intro]
D
 
[Verse 1]
                D          G             D                G
The first thing I remember knowin' was a lonesome whistle blowin',
      D                  G             A7
And a youngun's dream of growin' up to ride,
     D                     G         D                 G
On a freight train leavin' town, not knowin' where I'm bound.
       D                   A7            D
And no one could change my mind but Mama tried.
 
[Verse 2]
        D          G            D               G
One and only rebel child from a fam'ly meek and mild
   D              G                A7
My mama seemed to know what lay in store,
       D             G                    D             G
'Spite all my Sunday learnin' towards the bad I kept on turnin',
     D             A7         D
'Til mama couldn't hold me anymore.
 
[Chorus]
             D                          G               D
And I turned twenty-one in prison doin' life without parole,
   Bm                                A7
No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried
     D                                G            D
Mama tried to raise me better but her pleading I denied
                D           A7               D
And that leaves only me to blame, cause Mama tried
 
[Solo]
D      G
D  A7  D
 
[Verse 3]
          D               G             D           G
Dear ole' daddy, rest his soul, left my mom a heavy load,
    D             G                A7
She tried so very hard to fill his shoes,
        D             G            D              G
Workin' hours without rest, wanted me to have the best
    D                 A7             D
She tried to raise me right but I refused.
 
[Chorus]
             D                          G               D
And I turned twenty-one in prison doin' life without parole,
   Bm                                A7
No one could steer me right but Mama tried, Mama tried
     D                                G            D
Mama tried to raise me better but her pleading I denied
                D           A7               D
And that leaves only me to blame, cause Mama tried
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