Well, I can't sell my mama short on loving me
I guess that's why she let me go so far
Mama always stopped me short of stealing
I guess that's why I had to steal that car
She told me not to smoke it, but I did and it took me far away
And I turned out to be, the only hell my mama ever raised

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

And I sing "Precious Memories," take me back to the good ol' days
I can hear my mama singing, "Rock of Ages" cleft for me
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised

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 mama ever raised

And I sing "Precious Memories," take me back to the good ol' days
I can hear my mama singing, "Rock of Ages" cleft for me
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised