Lyrics:

(Merle Haggard) First thing I remember knowin' Was a lonesome whistle blowin' And a young one's dream of growin' up to ride On a freight train leavin' town Not knowin' where I'm bound No one could steer me right But Mama tried One and only rebel child From a family meek and mild My mama seemed to know what lay in store In spite of all my Sunday learnin' Toward the bad I kept on turnin' Till mama couldn't hold me anymore And I turned twenty-one in prison Doin' life without parole No one could steer me right But Mama tried Mama tried Mama tried to raise me better But her pleading I denied And that leaves only me to blame 'Cause Mama tried And then there was another man from Texas. My mama and daddy used to drive for miles and miles just to listen to him sing. I remember Mama used to tell me. She'd say