A               D         A      
Back in Memphis she was a pearl 
A                  D        A     
She was everyone's favorite girl 
D                           A      
Now her eyes have a vacant stare 
A                            D            A     
What she wouldn't give to be livin' back there 
A                      D        A 
She married a man when she left home 
A                            D         A 
She wanted someone she could call her own 
       D                           A 
He was good to her when he wasn't drunk 
A                              D          A 
He'd hold her and tell her how pretty she looked 
A                     D        A 
Back in Memphis where she grew up 
A                      D        A 
The life she knew was just not enough 
D                              A 
Back in Memphis when she was a girl 
A                    D            A    
She thought one day she'd own the world 
A                        D      A  
She'd look at the TV and magazines 
A                         D              A 
And she'd believe all the pictures she'd seen 
D                                    A 
She'd be wearin' silk and perfume so sweet 
A                                    D           A 
But those things don't mean much out here on the street 
 
SOLO 
 

A               D       A 
Back in Memphis she had fun 
A                     D    A    
Goin' around, tellin' everyone 
        D                                 A 
She was gonna buy dresses that zip up the side 
A                             D           A 
And wear red lipstick, have a nice car to drive 
A                    D      A 
She bounces her baby on her knee 
A                            D             A 
Sayin' maybe today we'll get lucky, you'll see 
  D                               A 
I promise it won't always be like this 
A                      D       A 
Come here, sugar, give Mamma a kiss 
A               D       A  
Back in Memphis another time 
A                             D        A  
Didn't look like things would turn out fine 
D                              A 
Back in Memphis when she was a girl 
A                   D             A 
She thought one day she'd own the world 
A               D         A 
Back in Memphis she was a pearl