MAMA TRIED (Merle Haggard) performed by Merle Haggard (1968) transcribed by Mark Albert markalbert@pipeline.com INTRO Guitar 1: Nylon string, fingerstyle ________ ________ ________ ________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------5--------5------|-3--------2--------2---|-----------------------| |----3--------3--------3|-------3--------3-----3|-----------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|------repeat-----------| |-0--------0--------0---|----0--------0---------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| Guitar 2: | | | | | | | | | | | > | | | > | | |(14)--12---------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |---\-/------13---------|(7)----5---------------|-----------------------| |----R------------------|---\/--------5---------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|----R------------------|-7-----7---------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|/5----/5---------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|/-----/----------------| D G The first thing I remember knowing D G Was a lonesome whistle blowing D A7 And a young one's dream of growing up to ride D G On a freight train leaving town D G Not knowing where I'm bound D A7 D And no one could change my mind but Mama tried D G One and only rebel child D G >From a family meek and mild D A7 My mama seemed to know what lay in store D G Depite all my Sunday learning D G Towards the bad I kept on turning D A7 D Til Mama couldn't hold me anymore D G D And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole Bm A 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 D A7 D That leaves only me to blame cause Mama tried SOLO (see TAB transcription below) D G Dear old Daddy rest his soul D G Left my mom a heavy load D A7 She tried so very hard to fill his shoes D G Working hours without rest D G Wanted me to have the best D A7 D She tried to raise me right but I refused D G D And I turned twenty-one in prison doing life without parole Bm A 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 D A D That leaves only me to blame cause Mama tried SOLO __ __ | | | | | | | | | | | |\ | | | > | | | > | | | | | /| | |(14)--12---------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |---\-/------13---------|(7)----5---------------|-------3-----3--5-----3| |----R------------------|---\-/-------5---------|-2--4------------------| |-----------------------|----R------------------|--\/-------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|---S-------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| ________ ________ ________ __ |\ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |\ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | /| | |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|----0--3-----0--5-----0|-6--5--3--0--3--5------| |----------------------4|-5--------5--------5---|----------------------5| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| | | | - | | | |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |------------(7)----5---|-----------------------|-----------------------| |---------------\-/-----|-5---------------------|-----------------------| |----------------R------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------| |-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|