Tennessee Women's Prison

Mama said that thirteen was too young to think my lips

And too young to run with me and twice my years

But when you're young and yearn to be a woman what does your mother know

I couldn't understand her hangups and her fears

A year went by and I got tired of mama's foolish advice

At fourteen I was sure I knew it all

It wasn't like it was at home out on the streets so long

Me I lived outside the law

Now I'm livin' in the cold grey world hear me cryin' in the night

Missin' even mom and dad and a man to hold me tight

I should've listened to my mama and seen the visdom in her eyes

And the Tennessee women's prison wouldn't be my mama tonight

If I ever get out of this nasty cell I'll never be back again

Cause mama has sure got smarter every day since I've been in

I gonna follow the straight and narrow if I can just get my parole

And the Tennessee women's prison won't own my soul

Cause I'm livin' in the cold grey world...

And this Tennessee women's prison wouldn't be my mama tonight