i'm the only hell mama ever raised

i can't sell my mama short on loving me

i guess that's why she let me go so far

mama try to stopped me short of stealing

so i had to steal that car

she told me not to smoke it but i did

and it took me far away

and i turned out to be

the only hell my mama ever raised

well

i rolled into atlanta

stolen tags and almost out of gas

i had to get some money

and lately i'd learned how to get it fast

those neon lights was calling me and somehow i just had to get downtown

so i reached into the glove box

another liquor store went down

and i sing 'precious memories'

take me back to the good ol' days

let me hear mama singing

'rock of ages' cleft for me

she tried to turn me on to jesus

but i turned on to the devil's ways

and i turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised

when they put them handcuffs on me

lord how i fought to resist

but agent clamped 'em tighter

'til that metal bit into my wrist

they took my belt and my billfold

my fingerprints

and the profile of my face

then they locked away the only hell my mama ever ever raised

and i sing 'precious memories'

take me back to the good ol' days

let me hear mama singing

'rock of ages' cleft for me

she tried to turn me on to jesus

but i turned on to the devil's ways

and i turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised

she tried to turn me on to jesus

but i turned on to the devil's ways

and i turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised