[Intro] (acoustic) E|------5-----5-----3-----2-----2--| B|---------------------------------| G|---------------------------------| D|----0-----0-----0-----0-----0----| A|--0-----0-----0-----0-----0------| E|---------------------------------| [Lick 1] (electric) E|--pb14r12---------------------------| B|----------13------------------------| G|----------------pb7r5-------2--2----| D|----------------------5-----0--0----| A|------------------------------------| E|------------------------------------| [Verse] D G D G First thing I remember knowin' was a lonesome whistle blowin' D G A7 And a young-on's dream of growing up to ride D G D G On a freight train leaving town, not knowing where I'm bound D A7 D And no one could change my mind, but Mama tried One and only rebel child, from a family meek and mild Mama seemed to know what lay in store 'Spite of all my Sunday learnin', toward the bad I kept on turnin' 'Til Mama couldn't hold me anymore [Chorus] D G D And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole G D 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, A7 D that leaves only me to blame, 'cause Mama tried [Solo] E|--pb14r12-----------------------------------| B|----------13-----pb7r5-----------3---3-5-3--| G|-----------------------5-----3/5---5--------| D|--------------------------------------------| A|--------------------------------------------| E|--------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------| B|--------------------------------------pb7r5----| G|--------------------------------------------5--| D|------0-3-0-0-5-0-0-6-5-3-0-3-5-0--------------| A|--0-3------------------------------------------| E|-----------------------------------------------| [Verse] Dear old Daddy rest his soul, he left my mom a heavy load She tried so very hard to fill his shoes Working hours without rest, she wanted me to have the best She tried to raise me right, but I refused [Chorus] D G D And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole G D 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, A7 D that leaves only me to blame, 'cause Mama tried [Outro] The end of the song is the same as the intro and lick 1. ************************************ | r Release bend | pb Pre-bend to indicated pitch | / Slide up ************************************