THE ONLY HELL MY MOMMA EVER RAISED.
by Johnny Paycheck

NOTE:  This is an arrangment I did from memory off the radio so the
key's probably don't match up to Mr. Paycheck's version, its just what I
sing it in.  I like it because its got that Momma and Prison element
that David Allen Coe said made a good country song.  

V1
C
Well, I cant sell my momma short on loving me, 
I guess that's why she let me go so far, 
F
Momma always stopped me short of stealing, 
  C
I guess thats why I had to steal that car,
                                                           F
She told me not to smoke it, but I did and it took me far away,
                    G                               C
And I turned out to be, THE ONLY HELL MY MOMMA EVER RAISED.

V2
I pulled 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 had to get downtown, 
I reached into the glovebox, another liquor store went down.

CHORUS:
C                                                            F
And I sing "Precious Memories," take me back to the good ol' days.
      G                                                  C
I can hear my momma singing, "Rock of Ages" clept(?) for me,
C                                                                F
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways,
                    G                                C
And I turned out to be...THE ONLY HELL MY MOMMA EVER RAISED.

V3
When they put those handcuffs on me, 
Lord how I fought to resist,
But that agent clamped'em tighter, 'til that metal bit into my wrist,
They took my boots and my billfold, 
my fingerprints, and the profile of my face,
Then they locked away, THE ONLY HELL MY MOMMA EVER RAISED.

Chorus.

-- 
Matt Crider