The first I remember knowing
Was that lonesome whistle blowing
And a youngin's dream
Of growing up to ride
On a freight train leaving town
Not knowing where I was bound
No one could steer me right
But mama tried
Was the only rebel child
From a family meek and mild
Mama seemed to know
What lay in store
In spite of all my Sunday learning
For the bad I kept on turning
And mama couldn't hold me anymore
And I turned twenty-one in prison
Doing life without parole
No one could steer me right
But mama tried mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better
But her pleading I denied
That leaves no one but me to blame
Cause mama tried
Dear old daddy rest his soul
Left my mom a heavy load
She tried so very hard
To fill his shoes
Working hours without rest
Wanted me to have the best
Oh she tried to raise me right
But I refused
And I turned twenty-one in prison
Doing life without parole
No one could steer me right
But mama tried mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better
But her pleading I denied
That leaves no one but me to blame
Cause mama tried
And I turned twenty-one in prison
Doing life without parole
No one could steer me right
But mama tried mama tried
Mama tried to raise me better
But her pleading I denied
That leaves no one but me to blame
Cause mama tried
That leaves no one but me to blame
Cause mama tried
[00:05.56]The first I remember knowing
[00:08.22]Was that lonesome whistle blowing
[00:11.00]And a youngin's dream
[00:12.43]Of growing up to ride
[00:15.86]On a freight train leaving town
[00:18.42]Not knowing where I was bound
[00:21.18]No one could steer me right
[00:23.22]But mama tried
[00:25.73]Was the only rebel child
[00:28.59]From a family meek and mild
[00:31.46]Mama seemed to know
[00:33.02]What lay in store
[00:36.22]In spite of all my Sunday learning
[00:38.76]For the bad I kept on turning
[00:41.39]And mama couldn't hold me anymore
[00:45.95]And I turned twenty-one in prison
[00:48.95]Doing life without parole
[00:51.68]No one could steer me right
[00:53.76]But mama tried mama tried
[00:56.35]Mama tried to raise me better
[00:58.95]But her pleading I denied
[01:01.46]That leaves no one but me to blame
[01:03.86]Cause mama tried
[01:11.80]Dear old daddy rest his soul
[01:14.37]Left my mom a heavy load
[01:17.09]She tried so very hard
[01:18.72]To fill his shoes
[01:21.93]Working hours without rest
[01:24.38]Wanted me to have the best
[01:27.18]Oh she tried to raise me right
[01:28.90]But I refused
[01:31.59]And I turned twenty-one in prison
[01:34.25]Doing life without parole
[01:37.15]No one could steer me right
[01:39.29]But mama tried mama tried
[01:41.94]Mama tried to raise me better
[01:44.61]But her pleading I denied
[01:47.07]That leaves no one but me to blame
[01:49.65]Cause mama tried
[02:12.00]And I turned twenty-one in prison
[02:14.93]Doing life without parole
[02:17.64]No one could steer me right
[02:19.54]But mama tried mama tried
[02:22.37]Mama tried to raise me better
[02:24.97]But her pleading I denied
[02:27.66]That leaves no one but me to blame
[02:30.02]Cause mama tried
[02:32.56]That leaves no one but me to blame
[02:34.87]Cause mama tried