Mama Hated Diesels
View chords used in this chart
D G D
Mama hated diesels so bad
D G D
I guess I knew it was something to do with dad
G D Bm
The first time I ever seen her cry, was after one of them things went by
D G D
Mama hated diesels so bad
D G D
I remember hearin' those semis gearing down
D A
My mom and me lived right on the high grade end of town
G D
I sure loved them white freighters, but there was somethin' in Mama's eyes
A D
when she'd catch me watching the road, lord, a little bitty piece of her died
D G D
Mama hated diesels so bad
D G D
I guess I knew it was something to do with dad
G D Bm
The first time I ever seen her cry, was after one of them things went by
D G D
Mama hated diesels so bad
(Spoken)
D G
As the years passed and I grew older, mama did too
D
Pretty soon she stopped singin' and laughin', well, she'd hardly even eat
A
I began staying away from home on the weekdays, and wouldn't come home from school till'
way after dark
G
I was always too busy havin' fun, either messing around with some girl or hanging aroun
the truckstop
D
or talking too my buddies about about the big rigs that were all the time rollin' in
A
Or talking about all the crazy places we never been, like California
(Spoken)
D G
Well, one day the county sheriff came up to me
D G
He said they found my mama wandering all by herself in the middle of the highway cryin'
A
She was trying of all things Lord, to flag down one of them rigs with a pocket handkerchief
G
Well, that left me all on my own
(Spoken)
G
I got a job unloadin' rigs down at the local frieght yard
D
Pretty soon I got a rig of my own and I left hometown on my very first runt to Frisco
A
That was three years ago today, and I ain't been home in all that time since then, till now
(Sing)
D G D
Now it's me and the local preacher, standing in the graveyard grass
A
Staring down at the highway, watching those big boys pass
G D
Well he laid his hand upon me and he prayed for quite some time
D A D
I could barely understand the words he said behind that highways whine
(Spoken)
D G D
He handed me a faded photograph, he said he found it in my mama's hand
D A
He said , I'm afraid you and this picture were the best your mama ever had
G D Bm
Well I looked down at that picture, it was Mama and some guy
D A D
standing beside a semi- truck, "just married" written on the side
D G D
Mama hated diesels so bad
D G D
I guess I knew it was something to do with dad
G D Bm
The first time I ever seen her cry was after one of them things went by
D G D
Mama hated diesels so bad
How to play Mama Hated Diesels
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is D. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.