verse 1
B
I can't sell my mama short on loving me
I guess that's why she let me go so far
E
Mama try to stopped me short of stealing
B
I guess that's why I had to steal that car
B
She told me not to smoke it
E
But I did and it took me far away
F#
And I turned out to be
B
The only hell my mama ever raised
B
Well, I rolled into Atlanta, stolen tags and almost out of gas
E
I had to get some money, and lately I'd learned how to get it fast
B E
Those neon lights was calling me and somehow I just had to get downtown
F# B
So I reached into the glove box, another liquor store went down
B E
And I sing 'Precious memories', take me back to the good ol' days
F# B
Let me hear mama singing, 'Rock of ages' cleft for me
E
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
F# B C
And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised
verse 2
C
When they put them handcuffs on me, Lord how I fought to resist
F
But agent clamped 'em tighter, 'til that metal bit into my wrist
C F
They took my belt and my billfold, my fingerprints, and the profile of my face
G C
Then they locked away the only hell my mama ever ever raised
C F
And I sing 'Precious memories', take me back to the good ol' days
G C
Let me hear mama singing, 'Rock of ages' cleft for me
F
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
G C C#
And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised
C# F#
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
G# C#
And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised