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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 sing,

"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, 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 sing,

"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.

Ever raised!

And I turned out to be the

only Hell my mama ever raised.

Ever raised!