Intro:

D , D7M , D7 , G

A

Verse 1:

Am
 Mama was cookin' bread,
F                                 C
 She wore a dirty raggedy scarf a-round her head.
               Em                                      G
Always had her stockings low, rolled to her feet; just didn't know.

Verse 2:

           Am
She wore a sloppy dress,
      F                                C
Oh no matter how she tried, she always looked a mess.
           Em                                  G
Out of the pot she ate; never used a fork or a dinner plate.

Bridge 1:

Bm            A7                                D
 I was always so afraid my uptown friends would see her.
Bm                   A7                        D
 Afraid one day when I was grown, that I would be her.

Interlude:

F#

Verse 3:

     Bm
In a college town,
  G                        D
A-way from home, an identi-ty I found.
           F#m                                 A
That I was born elite, with maids and servants at my feet..

Verse 4:

            Bm
I must have been insane;
  G                                    D
I lied and said mama died on a weekend trip to Spain.
    F#m                                    A
She never got out of the house; never even boarded a train.

Bridge 2:

Bm                  A7                                D
 Married a guy, was living high; I didn't want him to know her.
    Bm              A7                               D
She had a grandson, two years old, that I never even showed her.

Chorus 1:

D              D7M          D7       G , Gm
 I'm living in shame; Mama, I miss you.
D                     D7M          D7       G , Gm
 I know you're not to blame; Mama, I miss you.

Interlude:

F#

Break:

Em  A , C  D , G

Verse 5:

         Am
Came the telegram;
F                              C
 Mama passed away while making home made jam.
   Em                                G
Be-fore she died she cried to see me by her side.

Verse 6:

           Am
She always did her best,
    F                                     C
Ah, cooked and cleaned, and always in the same old dress.
Em                                       G
 Working hard, down on her knees; always trying to please.

Bridge 3:

Bm     A7    D
 Mama, Mama, Mama can you hear me?
Bm     A7    D
 Mama, Mama, Mama can you hear me?

*KEY CHANGE*
------------

Chorus 3:

Eb             Eb7M         Eb7      Ab , Abm
 I'm living in shame; Mama, I miss you.
Eb                    Eb7M         Eb7      Ab , Abm
 I know you're not to blame; Mama, I miss you.

Coda:

              Eb                        Eb7M
Won't you for-give me Mama, for all the wrong I've done?
              Eb7                 Ab            Abm
I know you've done your best, oh, I know you've done,
         Eb                                 Eb7M
The very best you could; Mama I thought you understood...

(Fade)



Tabbed by Joel from cLuMsY