Merle Haggard - Mama tried

The first thing ^GI remember knowin^Cg Was a ^Glonesome whistle ^Cblowing And a ^Gyoung'un's dream of growing up to ^Dride On a ^Gfreight train leaving ^Ctown Not ^Gknowing where I'm ^Cbound And ^Gno one could change my ^Dmind but mama ^Gtried One and ^Gonly rebel c^Child From a ^Gfamily meek and ^Cmild My ^Gmama seemed to know what lay in ^Dstore Despite ^Gall my Sunday l^Cearning Towards the ^Gbad I kept on ^Cturning 'Til ^Gmama couldn't ^Dhold me a^Gnymore

And I turned ^Gtwenty-one in prison doing ^Clife without ^Gparole No one could steer me right but mama ^Ctried, mama t^Dried Mama t^Gried to raise me better, but her ^Cpleading I d^Genied That leaves only me to ^Dblame 'cause mama ^Gtried

Dear old ^Gdaddy, rest his ^Csoul Left my ^Gmom a heavy ^Cload She ^Gtried so very hard to fill his ^Dshoes Working ^Ghours without ^Crest Wanted ^Gme to have the ^Cbest She ^Gtried to raise me ^Dright but I ^Grefused

And I turned ^Gtwenty-one in prison doing ^Clife without ^Gparole No one could steer me right but mama ^Ctried, mama ^Dtried Mama ^Gtried to raise me better, but her ^Cpleading I ^Gdenied That leaves only me to ^Dblame 'cause mama ^Gtried