D                      C                         G             D 
I wish I'd a known the man a little better that turned my mama on 
D                                     A                         G 
He must have been a helluva man cause mama was a lady don't you know 

D                                          G                   D 
Mama was no prude but she was proper never wore her dress too short 
D                               A                     D 
She didn't care if you did but she'd a never taken a drink 
D                                       G                D 
Grandma Kate did the best she could to see mama grew up right 
D                       A                      G                     D                     
So sh'e be fittin' one day for courtin' and to wear some gentleman's ring 


[Refrão]

D                      C                         G             D 
I wish I'd  known the man a little better that turned my mama on 
D                                A                 D 
They say he was always laughin', sang a real sweet song 
D                     C                        G             D 
I wish I'd known the man a little better that turned my mama on  
D                                     A                          G   D 
He must have been a helluva man cause mama was a lady don't you know 

V2 
I hear he came to town one day in a rust old "49 Ford 
Sellin' ladies shoes and assorted greetin' cards 
He was killin' good lookin' and easy to like and turnin' all the ladies heads 
But he saw mama first and you've heard stories about how some of the travelin' men are 

Chorus 

Mama seemed to forget the things that Grandma Kate had always told her 
Cause she ran away one night with that traveling man 
They bought gas a Reba's truckstop and drove to Desoto county 
But he brought her home next day a lady with a ring upon her hand 

Mama's told me how the fever took him when I was barely five                 
And I can remeber him pitchein' me up and catchin' me 
Lord I love to sit and listen to her tell me about my daddy 
She says he thought the sun must surely rise and set in me 

Chorus 

And I wish I'd a known the man a little better that turned my mama on 
He must have been a helluva man cause mama was a lady don't you know.