Intro:

D5 , D5 , D5 , G5

A5

Verse 1:

A5
 Mama was cookin' bread,
F5                                 C5
 She wore a dirty raggedy scarf a-round her head.
               E5                                      G5
Always had her stockings low, rolled to her feet; just didn't know.

Verse 2:

           A5
She wore a sloppy dress,
      F5                                C5
Oh no matter how she tried, she always looked a mess.
           E5                                  G5
Out of the pot she ate; never used a fork or a dinner plate.

Bridge 1:

B5            A5                                D5
 I was always so afraid my uptown friends would see her.
B5                   A5                        D5
 Afraid one day when I was grown, that I would be her.

Interlude:

F#5

Verse 3:

     B5
In a college town,
  G5                        D5
A-way from home, an identi-ty I found.
           F#5                                 A5
That I was born elite, with maids and servants at my feet..

Verse 4:

            B5
I must have been insane;
  G5                                    D5
I lied and said mama died on a weekend trip to Spain.
    F#5                                    A5
She never got out of the house; never even boarded a train.

Bridge 2:

B5                  A5                                D5
 Married a guy, was living high; I didn't want him to know her.
    B5              A5                               D5
She had a grandson, two years old, that I never even showed her.

Chorus 1:

D5              D5          D5       G5 , G5
 I'm living in shame; Mama, I miss you.
D5                     D5          D5       G5 , G5
 I know you're not to blame; Mama, I miss you.

Interlude:

F#5

Break:

E5  A5 , C5  D5 , G5

Verse 5:

         A5
Came the telegram;
F5                              C5
 Mama passed away while making home made jam.
   E5                                G5
Be-fore she died she cried to see me by her side.

Verse 6:

           A5
She always did her best,
    F5                                     C5
Ah, cooked and cleaned, and always in the same old dress.
E5                                       G5
 Working hard, down on her knees; always trying to please.

Bridge 3:

B5     A5    D5
 Mama, Mama, Mama can you hear me?
B5     A5    D5
 Mama, Mama, Mama can you hear me?

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

Chorus 3:

Eb5             Eb5         Eb5      Ab5 , Ab5
 I'm living in shame; Mama, I miss you.
Eb5                    Eb5         Eb5      Ab5 , Ab5
 I know you're not to blame; Mama, I miss you.

Coda:

              Eb5                        Eb5
Won't you for-give me Mama, for all the wrong I've done?
              Eb5                 Ab5            Ab5
I know you've done your best, oh, I know you've done,
         Eb5                                 Eb5
The very best you could; Mama I thought you understood...

(Fade)



Tabbed by Joel from cLuMsY