I guess that's why I had to steal that car
So I reached into the glove box, another liquor store went down
When they put them handcuffs on me, Lord how I fought to resist
And I sing 'Precious memories', take me back to the good ol' days
And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
Mama try to stopped me short of stealing
I had to get some money, and lately I'd learned how to get it fast
They took my belt and my billfold, my fingerprints, and the profile of my face
Let me hear mama singing, 'Rock of ages' cleft for me
The only hell my mama ever raised
But agent clamped 'em tighter, 'til that metal bit into my wrist
And I turned out to be the only hell my mama ever raised
And I sing 'Precious memories', take me back to the good ol' days
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
But I did and it took me far away
Those neon lights was calling me and somehow I just had to get downtown
And I turned out to be
She told me not to smoke it
Let me hear mama singing, 'Rock of ages' cleft for me
Then they locked away the only hell my mama ever ever raised
She tried to turn me on to Jesus, but I turned on to the devil's ways
Well, I rolled into Atlanta, stolen tags and almost out of gas
